Cycling is a simple yet effective way to integrate exercise into your daily routine, offering both physical and mental health benefits. Research has shown that commuting by bike can reduce the incidence of mental health issues, especially in women and those already taking antidepressants. Cycling is gentler on the joints than high-impact activities like running and can help relieve stress while providing a fun, low-pressure workout. With its positive impact on both body and mind, cycling is a great option for those looking to stay fit and improve their well-being.
Exercise has long been known as a key to maintaining good health. However, for many students and professionals, the pressures of studying and work can leave you feeling overwhelmed and drained, with little energy or motivation to exercise. "No time, no energy, no interest, a bit lazy" — these are common obstacles to exercising in daily life.
But here's a simple and practical solution that seamlessly integrates fitness into your daily commute: cycling!
Instead of spending time stuck in traffic or squeezed into a crowded subway, why not cycle to work? Even if you think your home is too far from the office, you can still use cycling for weekend errands or outings with friends. You’ll still get a full workout!
Leisurely cycling for just 30 minutes can burn around 168 calories, which is about the same as the energy in a 75-gram bag of chips! More importantly, cycling is gentler on your knees compared to high-impact activities like running. Recent studies have shown that cycling not only benefits physical health but also promotes mental well-being. It’s a fun, low-pressure way to stay fit while reducing stress. A study recently published in the International Journal of Epidemiology revealed that commuting by bike helps reduce the incidence of mental health issues, particularly in women and individuals taking antidepressants.
The research team used data from the 2011 Scottish Census, which was linked to personal records from the Scottish National Prescription Information System (PIS) over a five-year period. After filtering the data, they included 378,253 individuals aged 16-74 living in the council areas of Edinburgh and Glasgow. The outcome measure was based on prescription data from PIS for antidepressants and anxiolytics, used as indicators of mental health issues.
Based on this data, the research team created a binary variable where 0 indicated no prescriptions for antidepressants and/or anxiolytics during the follow-up period, and 1 indicated the presence of prescriptions for either or both medications.
Cycling to Work Helps Reduce the Incidence of Mental Health Issues
The data revealed that 54.4% of commuters in Edinburgh and 51.8% in Glasgow traveled less than 5 kilometers daily. In Glasgow, only 1.85% of people cycled to work, while in Edinburgh, 4.8% of commuters cycled. Additionally, men were more likely to cycle to work compared to women.
Furthermore, the data showed that among cyclists, 7.5% of men and 10.2% of women had prescriptions for antidepressants or anxiolytics. In contrast, among non-cyclists, this percentage was higher, with 9.2% of men and 15.7% of women having such prescriptions.
Figure 1: Distance travelled by participants to work
Next, the study employed a biprobit model to estimate the average treatment effect of cycling on participants’ mental health outcomes (i.e., prescriptions for antidepressants or anxiolytics). The average treatment effect is the difference in the likelihood of receiving these prescriptions between those who cycle to work and those who do not.
The results showed that, over a five-year period, individuals who cycled to work were about 15% less likely to be prescribed antidepressants or anxiolytics compared to those who used other forms of commuting. This positive effect was particularly pronounced in women and in individuals who were already taking antidepressants.
Table 2: Biprobit model estimates of the average treatment effect of commuting mode on outcome indicators
Finally, even after adjusting for factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, socio-economic status, city, self-reported health status, disability, and caregiving responsibilities, the analysis still confirmed that cycling to work helps reduce the likelihood of receiving prescriptions for antidepressants or anxiolytics, further validating the reliability of the study.
Conclusion
Cycling is not only a great way to improve physical health but also a highly effective method for boosting mental well-being. Integrating cycling into your daily commute, whether for work or leisure, can be a simple yet powerful way to stay fit, reduce stress, and lower the risk of mental health issues. If you're looking for an enjoyable, easy way to enhance your health, cycling could be the perfect solution!