Investigation
Does riding improve our mental health?
WINTER CAN BE a struggle. Short days; a cold, wet climate; and a lack of sunshine all take their toll, especially on those whose hobbies revolve around summer months. Bikers know this better than most; between November and March we tick off the days to the next season. And in the current situation, things are even worse.
Being unable to ride can impact our wellbeing, and for those already susceptible to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or low mood, the winter months can be particularly challenging. And those people are not alone; one in four UK adults will experience some sort of mental health issue in their lifetime. But there is good news; riding your bike can improve your mental health.
The facts
Riding is pleasurable and, as such, helps your body to release endorphins (happy chemicals), which generate a sense of wellbeing. Researchers at the
University of California
(UCLA) confirmed as much when they conducted a study in 2018 into the correlation between riding motorcycles and reduced stress levels.
The research discovered that riding a motorcycle for just 20 minutes helped reduce the hormonal biomarkers of stress by 28%, as well as bringing about a reduction in cortisol levels which helps lower anxiety, headaches, memory problems, insomnia and the risk of heart attacks. The social side is another plus; social interaction is a known
link to our sense of wellbeing.
Riding is, as we know, an activity that demands complete engagement. In terms of mental health improvement, this is another benefit. Stress, anxiety and depression often go hand in hand with worry, for whatever reason. Thinking about these things feeds anxiety and depression and yet, when you ride, you have little, if any, thought capacity left to dwell on outside issues. So riding time is time away from the things that have a negative effect on our mental wellbeing.
There’s more to back it up. Japanese neuroscientist Dr Ryuta Kawashima conducted a study in partnership with Yamaha to understand the benefits of riding on a regular basis. As well as confirming the relationship with positive mental health, such as reduced stress levels, the experiment also concluded that regular riding improves cognitive function and, in particular, memory and spatial reasoning capacity. In other words, the more you ride, the greater the benefits.
Biking for mental health
Paul Oxborough recognised the link between riding and improved mental health to the extent that he set up the charity Mental Health Motorbike, an organisation with the specific aim of helping those suffering with mental health. The charity has already helped 41 people in crisis by placing them in support bubbles with experts and trained mental-health professionals, and it has big plans for the future.
“We lost a friend to
suicide,” says Paul. “And the idea of a charity to help other people who are feeling desperate came from that. Being a lifelong biker, I recognised the benefits of biking to our sense of wellbeing — I realised that for us as a group it’s our secret weapon; something at our disposal that can make us feel better and help combat the effects of depression.
“Our membership is growing all the time and in the past year, we’ve seen how things like lockdown have affected people. They can’t get out on their bikes, which would be a normal release and they feel trapped. We have a forum where bikers can chat, ask for help and assist each other. It’s a safe space where they can reach out. If someone is in crisis and asks for help, we put a support bubble in place and come to their aid.
“We’ve been working in partnership with another organisation called Doc Bike which is made up of doctors and paramedics who get to accident scenes quicky on high-performance bikes to
save lives. Part of our remit with Doc Bike is researching the correlation between riding and improved mental health. We’re able to use motorcycles as a tool to help break down barriers around what’s still a taboo subject.”
What you can do
Mental health isn’t the easiest subject to talk about or even broach, but if you’re experiencing issues around depression, anxiety, low mood or even symptoms you’re struggling to understand, riding your bike can be one of the most powerful ways to overcome these debilitating feelings. Lockdown has made getting out on our bikes harder, but there are still ways to ride and get the benefits.
If getting to work requires a commute, use your bike. Don’t go crazy — keeping safe and riding responsibly is more important than ever, but so too is reaping the positive effects of our favourite interest. What’s more, spring’s around the corner and for bikers, that’s the start of the good times.