Nausea alert

As a new type of cycling studio uses sunlight technology to heighten riders’ senses, Liz Connor finds out if it can help you to spin happier

10 simple reasons you may be feeling sick – and expert advice on how to avoid it through simple lifestyle changes.

Sunlight spin classes could be particularly beneficial to those who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder

Spinning is one of those cultish forms of exercise that’s really taken off in recent years. A decade ago, New York spin class SoulCycle took indoor cycling and added a pitch black basement, banging club tunes, energetic instructors and a party vibe that rivalled some of the city’s best nightclubs – and people got seriously hooked.

But a new spin concept suggests that, instead of thrashing against the pedals in the dark, we should be getting more sunlight into our spin sessions. According to the theory, adding a dose of simulated sunlight via an LED screen can provide the energy needed to hit peak performance, feel more awake in the day and sleep better at night. FirstLight Cycle are the first to bring the idea to the UK. Each of their 45-60 minute spin classes cycles are set to a 30ft widescreen that uses sound, visuals and sunlight simulation to reflect the energy demands of each class.

In a morning class, the screen floods the room with gentle white light, simulating riding through the dawn and triggering your brain to release serotonin – a neurotransmitter that contributes to feelings of wellbeing and happiness. The energising light used in lunchtime classes helps to boost alertness and focus, while a night-time session is set to a dusky evening glow, encouraging your body to produce the sleep-enhancing hormone melatonin.

The studio, which is the brainchild of celebrity trainer Mark Anthony, say that people in the UK only gets approximately 1,500 hours of sunlight each year, which isn’t enough to ensure energy and motivation levels stay high whatever the weather. To combat this, the classes deliver the light stimulation your body needs to motivate and energise during and after your workout – particularly during the dark and dreary winter months.

We all know that when it’s still pitch black in the mornings, it can be a struggle to get going. Even once you’ve wolfed down some breakfast, a lack of light can make it harder to concentrate during the day, and contribute to a feeling of lower energy.

This is because the amount of sunlight you get affects the number of nerve messages which you send from the eyes to certain parts of the brain. The activity of these messages affects the level of certain brain chemicals such as feel-good serotonin and the sleep hormone melatonin. Ultimately, these chemicals and hormones affect your mood, and imbalances can trigger low feelings. That’s why sunlight spin classes could be particularly beneficial to those who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, a type of depression that occurs during the winter months.

So does spinning in sunlight actually work? The 45-minute signature class I took was a full indoor cycle workout, alongside a high-octane dose of light therapy. The bikes were laid out in an amphitheatre style with the mammoth screen placed behind the instructor, so riders could easily follow the moves while getting the full benefits of the visuals.

As the class progressed, the screen simulated the dawn breaking on cityscapes like Dubai, Rio de Janeiro and London, before moving through to sunset and then twilight. A word to the wise: Riding at full daylight can be hard for your eyes to adjust to first thing in the morning.

It’s a surprisingly immersive concept, although it isn’t cheap – each class costs £20. If you’re the type of person that gets bored staring at the instructor in spin classes, the visuals are really cool to cycle along to and can make the class feel like less of a chore.

They also provide a handy marker of how far you’ve got left to go. Afterwards, I did have a postworkout buzz that lasted for hours, but it’s hard to tell if it was from the sunlight or the endorphins I achieved from cranking up my resistance to full pelt. Either way, it’s an exciting new addition to the spinning scene.