Get On Your Bike! Boost Your Health With These Great Cycling Benefits

We all know that doing some exercise can be good for our health but hitting the gym after a long day in the office is a big ask. Instead, why not hit the outdoors on your bike and enjoy some of the country's unspoilt scenery? An Post Cycle Series is looking for five Spokestars to share their experience of An Post Cycle Series and is also asking you to become a Series Cyclist in 2014.  Whether you are a fitness freak who is looking for a thrilling challenge or you want to take your first steps to improved health, there are trails across Ireland that will cater to your needs and keep you entertained and fit at the same time! This year, An Post Cycle Series 2014 are looking for five Spokestars to take part in their leisure events using social media to tell their story, with the successful entrants getting the chance to get in gear at the Spokestars training camp, with professional advice, personalised training plans and a great Spokestars cycle jersey. They will receive weekly online mentor support from a pro-cyclist and a €200 One4all gift card to help get them kitted out, in addition to free entry and accommodation at their chosen events and a meet and greet one of the An Post Cycle Series ambassadors including Bressie, Paul Galvin, PJ Gallagher, Marian Heffernan, Matt Cooper and Sean Kelly. See how you can apply here. An Post and the Irish Sports Council are also looking for riders to join in their An Post Cycle Series. Friends, families, work colleagues and clubs can spend a day of fun together, while the serious rider can follow more challenging routes. Family routes are approximately 10kms, while short, medium and long distance routes are approximately 60kms, 100kms and 160kms. The events take place across the country, with Sligo kicking off proceedings on May 3rd and 4th, followed by Clare on June 21st. On July 26th and 27th, riders can participate in the Meath leg, with Waterford on August 23rd and 24th before the series concludes in Cork on Sept 13th. Need some more convincing? Here are some of the top physical and mental health benefits that you can expect to benefit from by getting on your bike! _____________________________ Improved overall health Regular exercise can help protect you from serious diseases such as obesity, heart disease, cancer, mental illness, diabetes and arthritis. Cycling is a healthy, low-impact exercise that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and gives your heart, blood vessels and lungs a good workout. Better sleep One of the best benefits of exercise is improved sleep and cycling has been found to have a major impact on conditions such as insomnia. In a recent study, Stanford University School of Medicine researchers asked sedentary insomnia sufferers to cycle for between 20 and 30 minutes every other day. It was found that the time required for the insomniacs to fall asleep was reduced by half, and sleep time increased by almost an hour. Losing weight Cycling is great exercise so while you are boosting your overall health, you'll also be burning some major calories! According to bicycling.com, a nine-stone woman will burn 343 calories with one hour of cycling at a speed of 10 to 12 mph. So get biking now and you'll have that bikini body well sorted by the time summer arrives! Improved muscle tone The physical demands of cycling mean that your quads, glutes, and calves will be getting a serious workout, while steering and directing the handlebars will result in a noticeable impact on your upper body. The result? All over toning for a leaner, stronger you! Boosted energy levels Cycling triggers your brain to release the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is linked to energy, and a study published in the Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics found that riding a bike resulted in improved energy levels by 20 percent and decreased fatigue by 65 percent. Even taking a regular 30 minute leisurely spin can give you a boost and leave you ready to take on the week ahead. Better heart health Cycling improves cardiovascular fitness. Studies have shown that cycling to work will increase cardiovascular fitness by three to seven per cent and, as it uses the largest muscle groups the legs, cycling raises the heart rate to benefit stamina and fitness. In addition, the British Medical Association says that cycling just 20 miles a week can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 50 per cent. Reduced stress levels According to active.com, the repetitive action of pedalling involved in cycling can help your brain release outside stresses in the same way that mediating on a phrase or a word is used in classical mediation. Focusing on your technique will allow you to block out other worries and stresses of the day, giving your brain a break, and the production of endorphins will naturally boost your mood. Delayed effects of ageing One of the lesser known advantages of cycling is that it may help you press pause on the ageing process. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that everyday activities become "intolerably fatiguing" for older men and women but cardiovascular training, which strengthens the heart and lungs, could compensate for the onset of middle age, when the body's capacity to use oxygen and generate energy falls with each passing decade. Improved memory The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois found that walking or cycling regularly can increase the size of crucial parts of the brain, as well as improving memory and problem solving skills in the elderly by between 15 and 20 per cent. For more information on Spokestars and to apply for being one click here.