Cycling In Retirement: Exploring Nature In A New Way

   Life after retirement can be quite boring. It means sitting in the house all day long. Many seniors want a life full of fun and adventure after their retirement. One popular option for this is cycling. Cycling is a popular sport across the world. It is also a favorite pastime of many people irrespective of their age.

Cycling is also beneficial for both physical as well as mental health of the seniors. In this article, we will discuss about the reasons for choosing cycling after retirement. Let us begin.

The reasons for choosing cycling after retirement

The reasons for choosing cycling after retirement are as follows:

It is a low impact workout

Cycling can be considered as a low impact workout for seniors. Many aerobic exercises like running are not good for those people who are suffering from arthritis as these exercises put pressure on joints. Cycling, on the other hand is a form of low impact aerobic exercise which will protect your joints.

Cycling can help the seniors in reducing the symptoms of arthritis and providing some relief. Seniors can reduce stiffness and pressure in their joints by moving them. Cycling movement will also encourage their body to produce synovial fluid, which is an excellent lubricant for your joints.

Helps in improving cardiovascular health

It is a known fact that seniors are at a higher risks of developing cardiovascular diseases. Regular physical exercises are very much essential for seniors, as it helps in preventing heart diseases and improving overall cardiovascular health.

Cycling is a form of cardiovascular exercise, it relies mainly on the ability of the body to use Oxygen. Cycling forces the heart to pump at a faster rate to provide Oxygen to all the cells of your body.

If seniors start cycling after their retirement, it will strengthen their heart after some period of time, thus minimizing the chances of heart attack and stroke.

Helps in stimulating brain activity

Cycling also helps in stimulating brain activity. Studies have found that cycling and other forms of regular exercises can reduce the risks of dementia, which is a common problem during advanced age.

Cycling encourages the body to function at their maximum capacity, thus making sure that the brain is fully oxygenated. The brain then stimulates the hippocampus which is responsible for our memory. 

Cycling also helps in reducing stress levels. Seniors can socialize with each other while cycling outside. This will remove mental fatigue and promote social interaction. They will not feel isolated. This will give a boost to their mental health.

Helps to build a stronger body

As seniors approach their twilight years, they naturally lose muscle strength. Cycling can help the seniors in regaining their muscle strength and making a strong body. Cycling will help the seniors in building the muscles of their legs which improves the muscle power of the body muscles in the leg are mainly responsible for mobility.

However, seniors should keep in mind that if they have not been active for a long period of time, then they should start slowly. It will be better if they start with indoor cycling, as it will reduce their chances of falling down and getting injured.

Helps to protect immune system

As people grew older, their immune system becomes weaker and produces lesser amount of T cells. These cells are very much essential for protecting the body against various kinds of diseases. When production of these cells decreases, the body becomes increasingly vulnerable to various kinds of diseases.

Cycling can reverse the effects of ageing and keep the immune system strong. A study conducted by researchers has even found that the amount of T cells produced by senior cyclists produce is similar to the amount produced by young people. Cycling also helps in maintaining levels of cholesterol and fats in the body.

Helps in losing excess weight

Cycling also helps in losing excess weight. Obesity is a common problem among the seniors. Since they are no longer as active as they used to be during their professional lives, they gain weight after their retirement. Getting rid of this excess weight is not an easy task and it increases the risks of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Cycling, along with swimming can be very effective in reducing weight, thus reducing the risks of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. 

Helps to increase lifespan

Cycling also has the opportunity to increase your lifespan by preventing death. When there is lot of mitochondrial damage in the cells, they will be unable to sustain life.

This happens either due to old age or disease. The production of new cellular components decreases with age and they stop functioning properly which results in death. Cycling can prevent death by keeping the mitochondria healthy, thus increasing the lifespan of seniors.

 
Help in improving balance

Cycling helps the seniors to improve their balance and maintain a sense of equilibrium. Seniors usually tend to lose their balance. Cycling can help in building their steadiness and improve their balance, thus preventing them from falling down and getting injured.

Safety tips for seniors while cycling

Some of the safety tips for seniors while cycling are as follows:

Wear a helmet

Seniors should always wear a helmet while they are cycling. This can be considered as a golden rule for maintaining safety of the seniors while they are cycling. Wearing a helmet offers protection against various kinds of injuries. Injuries to head can be fatal, especially for seniors.

This situation can be prevented by wearing a helmet, it will protect the head from injuries during accidents. 

Always avoid high speed

Senior cyclists should always avoid high speed as it increases the possibility of accidents. Cycles are usually made for exercises and leisurely rides, not for racing at high speeds. Seniors must ride cycles at low speed. This safety tip is applicable to people of all ages as high speed can cause serious injuries which may become fatal for seniors.  

Cycling can be a good pastime activity for seniors after their retirement. It will enable them to socialize with the people of their locality and improve their mental health. It will also improve their physical health and make them strong.