{"id":8295,"date":"2022-07-07T11:13:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-07T15:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brooklynfixedgear.com\/?p=8295"},"modified":"2024-02-05T22:41:49","modified_gmt":"2024-02-06T03:41:49","slug":"cycling-and-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brooklynfixedgear.com\/health-and-wellness\/cycling-and-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"Cycling and Sleep: 7 Ways Riding Helps You Snooze Better"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Cycling has been shown to offer numerous health benefits, not the least of which is enhanced sleep. So let’s look at the science behind cycling and sleep to find out if cycling is helpful for sleep.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In this article, you will learn why sleep is so important, whether cycling helps you sleep better, and the benefits of cycling for sleep so you can ride better and live a healthier life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cycling can help you sleep better because it has been shown to lower stress and increase the production of endorphins, which are natural painkillers and mood boosters.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Editor’s note: This article was updated on July 7, 2022<\/strong>, to include additional information about cycling and sleep. I am not a doctor. Please speak to your doctor for professional medical advice.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Before learning about cycling and sleep, let’s first understand why sleep is so important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You won’t train well if you’re tired. Your legs may hurt the next day after a strenuous workout. This is due to Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). DOMS is caused by minute tears in your muscle fibers, not lactic acid buildup. Human Growth Hormone<\/a> (HGH) is produced by your body to encourage muscle repair. However, it only produces HGH while you are sleeping! <\/p>\n\n\n\n For us older riders, not getting enough sleep impedes recuperation.<\/strong> Because our bodies create less HGH as we age, getting enough sleep becomes even more vital. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, sleep deprivation impairs concentration and the capacity to focus on detailed tasks such as reading maps or driving safely. This lack of sleep has also increased the risk of car accidents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you need an alarm clock to wake up, you are likely not getting enough sleep. Additionally, feeling sluggish or exhausted even after getting enough sleep, waking up frequently during the night, and having symptoms of a sleep disorder are all signs of poor sleep quality (such as snoring or gasping for air).<\/p>\n\n\n\n One study discovered that people who bike frequently have considerably better sleep quality than those who do not.<\/strong> The data suggest that cycling may help you sleep better. For example, endorphins, hormones that produce a sense of well-being and relaxation, are released during a hard cardiac workout. Furthermore, by keeping your body busy during the day, you will have fewer opportunities for stressors to take hold at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, researchers at Illinois University discovered that people who participated in their study performed 15% higher in cognitive testing when their cardio-respiratory fitness was improved by 5% by cycling. They think this is because exercise stimulates the part of the brain called the hippocampus, which is in charge of memory.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy is sleep so important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How can you tell if you’re not getting enough sleep? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Does cycling help you sleep better?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n