Mindfulness in May : Cycling & Mindfulness

Have you ever wondered what it is that makes you feel so good when you’ve been out on the bike?

Cycling is a great way to get around, great for the environment and has lots of health benefits including mental wellbeing (more about Cycling for Health.) It could also be a good way to practice mindfulness.

Quieten your mind

Often, our minds are locked in either the future or the past. We might be worrying about deadlines or a presentation, or we could be mulling over thoughts of the past and what could have been.

How often do we live in the present?

In some ways, cycling is the perfect vehicle for stress relief.

There is a clear body and mind connection, when you go for a bike ride (on or off road) you’ll find that the repetitive nature of pedalling, the rhythm, the sound of the wheels on the road or dirt, the noises of the gears or wheels spinning, the sights and smells of the countryside, start to take your mind away from the everyday.

You start to notice the feel of the handlebars, the smells of the forest.

Mountain biking especially, can not only get you “living in the now” but it does so whilst re-engaging you with nature. On a mountain bike, riding on trails that are challenging will make you focus. Not thinking; just riding. Head up – looking ahead, picking the right line trying to flow down the trail with a heightened level of awareness, living in the moment, and focusing on the here and the now.

Try to let go of thoughts about whether you are riding well – (let go of your ego).

Professor Mark Williams (from the NHS website) ‘an important part of mindfulness is reconnecting with our bodies and the sensations they experience. This means waking up to the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the present moment’.

More and more cyclists are shouting about how cycling declutters your mind – It’s not uncommon to feel, upon returning from a ride, that seemingly insurmountable problems can seem manageable. Somehow, by disengaging your conscious brain you can allow your unconscious brain to disentangle the mess. Giving you fresh insight on a problem post ride.

The physical benefits alone make cycling a worthy pastime. If you find inner peace and contentment along the way, then we say, all the better.