Greenway Cycling | a way to escape
Just like all forms of exercise, cycling can automatically put the brakes on levels of the stress hormone cortisol (linked to anxiety), whilst at the same time stimulating endorphins (our body’s own natural feelgood chemicals, such as serotonin). Whist some medication antidepressants increase serotonin levels artificially and chemically, cycling is a great way to do this completely naturally.
Cycling can have other psychological and emotional benefits too. Being outdoors, in fresh air and in control of the bike gets you interacting with the world on your own terms.
In the midst of what might feel like a world determined to drag you downwards and push you backwards, on the bike it’s something you can happily ride away from – putting space and distance between you and any perceived problems that may be present in your home or work life.
Bike It | green light for cycling
Organisations promoting cycling have done a tremendous job in promoting the creation of traffic free cycle routes and improving route maps and signage. These now provide greenway linkages right across our urban cityscapes. By increasing shared use of pathways with pedestrians, and by making it easier to use the waterway and canal system footpaths, it has provided ways to link local green spaces together, and allows us to gain easier access to the wider countryside in a safe and traffic free manner. What’s more there’s no traffic lights!