Bicycle Therapy

I have found that just about any problem in my life can be solved by cycling. In fact I pretty much use cycling the way some people talk about apple cider vinegar. If I feel angry, despondent, restless, sad, depressed, need to get away, can’t sleep, feel tired, grumpy, you name it a good bike ride will cure it.

I am no Zen master, and my mind can be scattered at the best of times. Sit me down in a chair with a professional and we might be here for years. But you put me on two wheels, strap on a helmet and the mental sanity comes pouring in. Know your bicycle, know your self.

Something about how the bicycle amplifies the natural ability of a human seems to sort my mind out like no other activity can. You are still using your own body to power yourself, but you are going so much faster and further than you could on your own. You start to feel connected to your body, and that connection seems to help my mental state a great deal (incidentally this might be why I like riding fixed so much, seems to make that connection even stronger).

I don’t think about my worries when I cycle, in fact I think about nothing except cycling. My mind turns off everything but the functions it needs to work my legs, operate my lungs, avoid traffic, and chart my course. It might seem stressful to many to bomb down a busy street in the middle of rush hour, but for my poor overworked mind its the only time in the day when I can enjoy some mental peace and quiet.

My body is going someplace, and my mind is too. When the ride is over my muscles might ache, and I might be sweating like a pig, but my mind feels shiny and new. Something about letting my mind rest for a while, or at least concentrate on far less, seems to really tidy things up in there. I find I come up with a lot of good ideas right after a good ride and I definitely sleep better.

Does anyone else save a bundle on therapy by spending quality time with your bicycle? What maladies do you cure with your bicycle? Share your bike mental health tips in the comments.

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