Keeping the “Black Dog” at Bay: Cycling and Depression.

[XXtwindad]

I appreciate the physical benefits that cycling confers, but it’s the mental health aspect of cycling that matters more to me. I have low-grade chronic depression. I hesitate to use the word “suffer” because many people endure a much more debilitating strain than myself. But still, depression is like a ubiquitous cloud that you just can’t quite shake.

Unless I’m on my bike. Nothing chases away the blues more handily than steadily pacing myself up a huge hill. It’s mentally liberating. Nothing to think about but reaching the crest.

Not a lot of research on nuerotransmitters (seratonin and dopamine) and cycling but there’s bound to be some correlation. It’s the same phenomenon that results in a “runners high.”

I hope that there’s a large contingency of people who’ve experienced the mental relief that cycling provides, particularly during the Pandemic. For my money, it’s the best anti-depressant out there. Bar none.

A recent article I read that promoted the thread:
https://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/5...ome-depression

”Cycling also puts you into a meditative state without you having to make a conscious decision to sit down and meditate. It’s rhythmic, but you need enough focus on what you’re doing to block out your worries.”