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The benefits of cycling for the mind and soul

It's hard not to see them, lovers of two-wheeled riding. Whether in the gym, in the neighborhood, on the road or in the open, on the mountain trails or at the beach, they are there in all seasons. For several years now, cycling has become a real sporting activity. Its advantages lie in being one of the most enjoyable and effective outdoor activities for developing aerobic fitness, burning fats, maintaining a normal body weight and stability, while enjoying the sights of the road and the camaraderie that accompanies the activity.

the truth? This is not surprising, it has been known for hundreds of years that regular physical activity is one of the pillars of maintaining our physical, cognitive and emotional health. It contributes greatly to strengthening the muscles, the heart and blood vessels, the immune system, the skeletal system, the digestive system and the brain. Physical activity is important for healthy aging, improving metabolic fitness and, in general, for feeling good at any age, with an emphasis on the elderly.

While the benefits of physical activity on our physical health have been examined in depth, its involvement in cognitive processes is beginning to be revealed in recent years thanks to extensive studies devoted to the subject.
Physical activity, memory and cognitive functions.
Aerobic activity as a whole contributes a lot to the normal functioning of the brain, as it helps maintain blood flow and oxygen supply to all body organs and in particular to the brain. Despite its low weight (approximately 2% of our total body weight), it is the largest consumer of energy, about 20% of the total that the body requires. The energy comes through the blood stream which carries the nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and a particularly high amount of oxygen.
The blood flow to the brain helps in building processes and creating new connections between nerve cells (synapses). These processes are essential for coding, consolidation and long-term storage of information, starting with learning skills and ending with the creation of new memories.

Dr. Sylvia Mendel, "Regular aerobic activity and persistence over time leads to an increase in BDNF levels in the blood" (photo: personal album)
Dr. Silvia Mendel, "Regular aerobic activity and persistence over time leads to an increase in BDNF levels in the blood" (photo: personal album)

6 key benefits of cycling

Although this is a relatively new field of research, studies support the link between cycling and improving memory and cognitive performance. People who persevere in this sport often find that their learning, thinking and even judgment abilities remain sharp as they grow older. But not only older people benefit from the symbiosis between physical activity and improved brain function. Even young people claim that cycling sharpens their thought processes.

1. You built brain tissue

The aerobic pedaling action is a type of fertilizer for the brain, stimulating the activity of nerve cells (neurons) as well as thickening of the gray matter in the cerebral cortex as well as the white matter responsible for the connection between the different areas. During physical activity, there is a process of growth of nerve cell extensions (neurons) and increased communication between the different neurons. This retinal weaving optimizes the reception of information through the various senses (such as smell, hearing, sight) and its transfer to different areas of the brain, which process the content for the performance of diverse cognitive functions, for example, planning a task, focusing on a goal and making decisions. This phenomenon is essential for the development of synaptic flexibility and brain and thought flexibility.
Moreover, aerobic activity also preserves the volume of the "hippocampus", a structure belonging to the emotional system - the limbic system - which is essential for the creation and retrieval of memories

2. Improving memory, planning and thinking

Cycling sharpens the mind and stimulates creative and informed thinking. This is according to a controlled clinical study, in which a group of healthy young people were asked to pedal stationary bicycles at a moderate pace for 30 minutes. Before and after the ride the subjects completed a series of cognitive tests. The results of the tests after the ride showed an improved performance in memory tests and the ability to plan and shorten the time required to complete them.
Another study from the University of Geneva in Switzerland found that the higher the pedaling intensity, the higher the score in visual-motor memory tests. The researchers even showed a correlation between cycling and the activation of areas of the brain related to the formation of memories, including the hippocampus and the caudal nucleus.

3. Improving the immune system

Cycling can help improve immune system function. A weak immune system will cause inflammatory conditions that can endanger the integrity of the blood-brain barrier and increase the penetration of bacteria, toxic viruses and free radicals that can attack the nerve cell envelope and damage nerve conduction.
Aerobic activity can even help remove bacteria from the lungs and respiratory tract, which will reduce the chance of catching a cold or the flu.

4. Relief in the level of stress and depression

The government health authority in the US recommends at least two hours of physical activity per week, as a way to combat stress which in the long run may weaken the immune system and increase the stress hormone cortisol. During a study in which the researchers followed people suffering from depression, it was found that pedaling for 15 minutes on A stationary bicycle resulted in a significant decrease in cortisol levels in the blood.
In a long-term clinical trial that followed healthy people who did not suffer from depression at the beginning of the study, it was found that among those who reported a low level of physical activity, the risk of depression increased significantly6. The explanations for the contribution of physical activity on the mood and general feeling are many and varied, ranging from the field of positive and social psychology to clinical physiology, (for example the release of endorphins, serotonin and dopamine in the brain that contribute to improving mood and motivation).

5. Slowing down the aging process and extending life expectancy

Over the years, our body experiences, among other things, the loss of muscle mass and the weakening of blood flow to all organs, including the brain. Therefore, it is very important to stay active. A study that made a comparison between people aged 55-79 who ride the bike, and those who do not ride, found that the muscle mass in the group of riders was better preserved, as well as the levels of fat and cholesterol in their bodies.
According to a human study published by researchers from the University of Southern California, when cycling, a hormone-like peptide - a protein segment - is secreted called MOTS-c, which is one of several peptides that mimic the health effects of physical activity. When MOTS-c was injected into old mice, The researchers were surprised to find a significant improvement in physical performance, which showed a level of functioning comparable to that of their younger friends.
One of the explanations for the extension of life expectancy in humans following physical activity lies in the fact that there is a slowdown in the process of shortening the "telomeres" at the end of the chromosomes in the cell nucleus, a phenomenon that accelerates aging and cell death. Therefore, a faithful routine will help maintain their length.

6. Sensory and social experience

No less important is the contribution of cycling to our emotional and social well-being. Whether with friends, your partner or in organized groups, this is real quality time, for spending time and getting to know people with common interests. It is possible that the very metronomic movement - the repetitiveness of the pedaling - or the way in which you sail through uplifting landscapes instill a sense of relaxation that facilitates the attachment of one to the other. The social "clique" that is created reduces feelings of loneliness and raises the mood.

Conclusions

Practicing any kind of sport keeps us young, at least that's how we feel. Although this article deals with the benefits of riding on our physical and mental health, it is important to emphasize that each type of aerobic activity has its relative advantage. Therefore, it is advisable to diversify and not stick to just one type, since not all forms of memory use the same mechanisms and pathways in the brain. Physical activity at different intensities can be beneficial for various memory-related functions, such as the ability to remember what was written on a list for a writer or learning to activate a new application.

It is true that not everyone is a sports fan, but when it comes to the brain, persistence in moderate physical activity is just as valuable. Therefore, do not give up sports and walking, for those of you who spend long hours in the office, do yourself a little rest and go for a 15-20 minute walk at medium-high intensity - it will work wonders. Your body and brain will thank you and you will gain a few more years, along with a higher quality of life, preservation of cognitive abilities and reduced risk of chronic diseases.

‏‏*
I am Dr. Sylvia Mandel, a neuroscientist, a lecturer on the preservation of memory and cognition with the help of a healthy lifestyle. I have been engaged in the research of degenerative brain diseases and drug development at the Technion and Teva for over 20 years. Today, I manage projects at the Institute for Brain and Emotion Research at the University of Haifa, Visiting lecturer at the Technion and consultant to Altman Health in the field of cognition.

contact: At watsapBy email

Dr. Sylvia Mandel
Dr. Sylvia Mandel
A neuroscientist lectures and conducts workshops to preserve memory and cognition with the help of a healthy lifestyle. To book a lecture or join brain training workshops: 054-8886184 | [email protected]

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21 תגובות

  1. Yesterday on Hanasi Boulevard, a woman with silver hair 1.50 tall got out of her 2 meter tall white tank jeep (she has a step!) to shout at a cyclist who was going to the exact same place (Cafe Tibi Square) how dare he near Panorama not allow "vehicles" (hers) to overtake And refused to throw himself aside so that her highness in the jeep would overtake him in a few more seconds on her way to the exact same place.
    Happily, the cyclist explained to her by yelling back that bicycles have an equal right on the road not on the sidewalk and that her Jeep does not mean that she also bought the roads. The height of the record is that she even dared to tell him that there is no room for bicycles on the busy roads in the center of Carmel. Obviously. Why are they busy? In the genre of elderly, bored millionaire retirees in jeeps who refuse to take a bus three stops from the house to the cafe. gall. Huldai waves them properly out of the center of Tel Aviv, here they are even more predatory and shouting.

  2. Thank you Joseph for the recommendations, continue with your active life
    Happy holiday!

  3. It is very important to ride the bikes in all respects, in old age maintains stability in walking, blood circulation, and from here all the senses work.
    First we must do and not say we should, but do, do.
    Another very, very important thing is to walk with high shoes, which maintains the stability of walking and prevents fractures of the pelvis.
    Cycling in my opinion is better than swimming which I think is boring.
    Happy holiday to everyone

  4. When you look at the development horizon of walking and cycling infrastructure in Haifa, which are the basis of urban quality of life, this is how all the major cities in the world have discovered, so the situation is very bleak and you see a lack of development of sidewalks, squares, bicycle lanes and a traffic recession.
    Haifa is simply decades behind in these moves behind cities of the same size in European countries around the Mediterranean Sea that want tourism and a high quality of life.
    In Haifa, the elderly only want parking anywhere for their car and to change the leasing car every 3 years.
    Okay, if we want a nursing home like this, parking lots with elderly people who measure from their cars and to their cars and the whole city is dying and empty streets and closed restaurants is exactly what needs to be done only roads and parking lots.
    If we want living places full of residents and tourists who enjoy the city, we need to close streets to vehicles like they took them out of the old commercial center (the Turkish market) in the lower city. They once cried there that dozens of parking spaces are being taken near the government building. Today, who would say such nonsense? The place has come back to life thanks to pedestrians and available public transportation.
    The time has come to remove the parking lots on both sides of Moriah Boulevard and make wide sidewalks with bicycle lanes from the center of Carmel to the university. that the elderly will not find parking and will leave the city "out of frustration that there is no parking for my car".

  5. A very interesting article. I ride a bicycle both in the gym and on the paths of the kibbutz and I feel younger. I will forget that I am only 70 years old and to the Haifaim I say keep fighting for bicycle paths and don't give up in the end it will happen from David Saskin Kibbutz Urim

  6. No one in the Haifa municipality handles transportation.
    Today the academic year started in the schools and instead of buses the whole city was clogged with traffic jams of parents driving their private cars.
    It's simply a disaster, a tiny country unable to get the public to stop driving and take a bus, bike or walk.
    Tragedy of a city.
    We will destroy Haifa for more roads and we will be surprised that there are only more traffic jams. its sad.

  7. I can verify things. I ride a bike every day for about ten. km. About 30 to 35 minutes in the gym for three years and increases the levels of effort from time to time. I am 82 years old and confirm Mila. In a word, the things you posted, I feel great, I have no problems. health. and continues the activity except for the bicycle for at least an hour every day at the Marganit club in Ramat Gan.

  8. Maybe a visit to Klish's office urgently, maybe something will help massive pressure from the public and demand maybe it will help keep quiet and keep demanding

  9. A. Where did the bicycle master plan that was presented 4 years ago and nothing was done about it go?
    B. Where did Israel's Haifa branch go for bicycles, did they give up on the city?
    third. Where did critical mass rides go that were probably only done for the elections and then disappeared?
    d. Why don't new neighborhoods implement public transportation and bike lanes in the center of the neighborhood?
    If it is possible to demand answers from Mrs. Klish and the spokesperson of the municipality.
    Surely they will dodge as usual. But we must ask. There is no action.

  10. After many years of riding...
    Riding produces a better perception and thinking of a road user than a normal driver.
    Definitely improves our taste in food.
    And you didn't mention it, but sharpens the senses and improves masculinity

  11. Fun of research I wish it would never end ??‍♀️??‍♀️????❤️❤️

  12. I forgot to mention that my grandson rides a bicycle with his father. He flew to France specifically to see competitions, why don't they hold such competitions here. will only contribute to Haifa in tourism

    • In France, they want to transfer 5% of the population to daily cycling by 2024.
      Grants scrapping an old car and buying a bicycle up to 4000 euros or buying a regular pair of bicycles 150 euros.
      Where are we... in the motor stone age. It would be possible to transport 10-15% of Haifa residents to get to work by bicycle with safe roads.
      A person who works in the Horev center, lives in an estate - 5 minutes by bike, 15 minutes in the morning traffic by car.
      There are no bike lanes, no bike parking, no supporting infrastructure, most of all there is not a single council member in the council who holds a transportation portfolio, unlike almost all the other 15 major cities in Israel. This is absolute absurdity. In Jerusalem and Tel Aviv this is one of the requested cases in the council and here the issue is not handled at all. This says everything about Haifa - a city that specializes in staying behind... even by bicycle.
      A bulldozer council member is needed with a dedicated budget from the municipality and the Ministry of Transportation to promote tens of kilometers of bike lanes between the neighborhoods in Haifa and workplaces.

  13. you are right What a shame the municipality does not encourage cycling. Why don't you organize some special trails for riding there, there are places with beautiful nature and it is possible to organize riding trails there. It will contribute a lot because they go out into nature and enjoy it and even encourage the Haifa people in this sport which we have learned is very helpful. Some cities have developed special paths for cycling. Why doesn't Haifa organize and encourage cycling for all ages. Hara will contribute to a healthier community.

  14. Haifa is 5-10 years away from the actions of adding trails in the cities of Gush Dan and about 15 years after Tel Aviv in establishing an urban trail network. Yahav was the main reason for this disgraceful failure. Klish did nothing for 4 years, not even one urban path was added even though we were told that there was a master plan for bicycle paths that was approved and they asked the public's opinion on which site they established and nothing came of it.
    Even worse: when they build the huge Naot Peres, they plan it without a public transportation route and without a network of bike paths that can connect through all the flat neighborhoods of Haifa from Naot Peres to Kiryat Haim in the north. Two thirds of Haifa is a completely flat area and even in the ridge neighborhoods there are very moderate slopes that bicycles and certainly electric ones will overcome.
    Where are all the bicycle activists who were in Haifa? There were actions of riding and demonstrations, everything is over. The Haifa site on the Israel Portal for bicycles is updated for 2015. It seems that all the activists raised their hands and stopped fighting for the future of Haifa, it's really sad. There are no trail markings even where there are and it is possible to mark them. The path on the Kiryat Eliezer Promenade, for example, was not marked.
    The situation is extremely bleak. It seems that just everyone raised their hands in front of the closed municipality. It's worth checking if the Haifa branch for bicycles on the website Israel for bicycles is active at all. who runs it An important fascinating article shows all the enormous advantages of bicycles and this is even before the urban youths!!!
    Can Hai-Fa do an investigation as to why not even one bike path was built in 4 years???

  15. Very interesting about the article. It was very helpful for me because cycling is not only for health and toning the body. These are a great contribution to the brain to preserve memory. So not only the health of the mind but also the preservation of brain energy, which we also preserve for many years. The article should be widely distributed. I studied
    From the article about new things from today and I will always ride an exercise bike. I have an exercise bike I really did not appreciate what I have and from now on I will keep riding.

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