Cycling versus Driving
We all know that cycling kicks butt over driving a car, right? Well, Sarah Black definitely agrees and is in today with a guest post showing the benefits of riding over driving.
Cycling versus Driving
by Sarah Black
As illustrated in this creative (below) from Express Solicitors, three-quarters of a million more people in the UK now cycle to work than in 2003 and there’s a reason for this!
Whether more people are cycling to work to boost their fitness, appearance or sleep patterns, there are a whole host of benefits to swapping your four wheels for two. Let’s take a closer look…
It’s actually quicker!
Research from Citroen has shown that commuting by bicycle rather than a car will actually get you to work quicker than if you were to use a car. In Cardiff for example, the average speed of a car in rush-hour traffic is 7 mph, whereas a bikes average speed is 12-15 mph.
Improves your sleep pattern
To those of you who consider yourselves night owls, a bike ride first thing in the morning might not seem particularly appealing but it will help you get a good night’s sleep.
Research undertaken by Stanford University of Medicine, shows that 20 to 30 minutes of cycling per day halves the amount of time it takes for insomnia sufferers to fall asleep. In addition, this also lengthened sleep time by an average of one hour.
Makes you look younger
Further research from Stanford University also shows that cycling provides valuable protection for your skin against ultra violet (UV) rays. This reduced exposure to harmful UV radiation can reduce the signs of aging, due to the increase in blood circulation. This helps the body to deliver much needed oxygen to skin cells more effectively and flushes harmful toxins from your system in the process.
Exercise also helps the body to increase collagen production and helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, in addition to speeding up the healing process. Of course, you should also remember to use sun block if heading out in sunny weather in order to avoid the risk of skin cancer.
I think I am going to buy a bike :).
Good post, and we just have to keep plugging away on safe routes to ride.
How does cycling protect your skin from UV?