How Riding a motorcycle can boost your mental well-being

Whether you jump on that motorcycle and accelerate to work, to a friend's place or to a faraway holiday destination that craves two wheels, getting to these places is the fun part.

Sometimes when your daily grind needs a touch of freedom, a motorcycle can help.

And when your mental state feels it needs a boost, a small thing like taking a ride may help your mind and your soul.

Skeptical? Let's have a read as to why your mode of transportation may be boosting your well-being.

Freedom and Stress Relief

Stress is real and it's horrible. It robs us of our peace and our sanity. Traffic, deadlines, Groundhog Day... Yuck. Luckily, riding can help. Escaping on a motorcycle recharges your batteries and lets you breathe again.

When you ride, you will feel a sense of freedom as you use your mind to shift gears, brake and navigate to your destination, not realising that you are overriding stress thoughts and worries that may be bringing you down.

Therapy is expensive but riding is fun.

Adrenaline and Mood Enhancement

When you get an adrenaline rush by mixing pure excitement with a little bit of danger, it releases endorphins which are the feel-good hormones that lift our mood and help with any sadness or low moods we may be feeling.

Cornering into bends, giving the throttle a thrust, these little moments give us energy and we feel alive.

Even if just for a moment, it will give us that bit of excitement that will give a positive feeling and change our mental state for the better.

Try and keep it reckless free for the ultimate experience.

Social Connection and Community

Whether you like riding solo or in a group, riders are a small community that understand each other and share the same passion for the road.

Social gatherings can really boost the mental health and wellbeing of an individual. It gives us a sense of belonging and something to look forward to.

Making friends along the way leads to happiness and gives you support from people that may have more of an understanding.

If social gatherings does the complete opposite for you, a simple nod from a fellow rider will also give you a touch of security that may just be enough.

Improved Focus and Cognitive Function

Cognitive Function is simply our mental abilities of thinking and learning that let us interact with the world. It does change over time with our age, lifestyle, education and our physical and mental health. This is where riding comes in.

Concentration, co-ordination and attention. Using these skills every time you jump on that bike, such as when you accelerate, brake, corner and scan for hazards, not only takes your mind off everyday stresses, but gives your brain a mental workout and heightens your focus.

While you are focused on riding, your reflexes are in workout mode and your brain is too.

Connection With Nature

Smelling the fresh air and being surrounded by nature can reduce stress and lower blood pressure. Riding through a traffic-free zone will help recharge those batteries and give your mind an escape from the noisy world.

Feeling the sun, smelling nature's smells and even seeing things out in the open that you just don't get to see or experience in a car will get your senses moving in the right direction.

Physical Exercise and its Mental Benefits

Riding is a workout. Controlling, maneuvering and balancing the bike takes physical effort. Riding a motorbike regularly will improve your posture and build up strength.

Being physical is well known to improve mental wellbeing. Those fun endorphins play a part again where they will release with exercise therefore being a great attribute for our overall health.

So riding is exercise, and improves our fitness, health AND our mental wellbeing!

Sense of Control and Empowerment

Having control of your own life can be something we crave. But when you are on a bike, YOU are riding. YOU are choosing the way you ride and the destination. YOU have total control.

Riding also builds your confidence and resilience. Unknown routes or changes in weather can get your brain moving and make you handle whatever challenge you come across while riding.

When you do achieve small goals like this, self-esteem rises and knowing you have achieved can impact you positively.

You will soon realise that you are capable of controlling situations on or off the bike.

Conclusion

Riding is a great sport for mental Well Being. Adrenalin, relaxation, fitness and friendships all have a part in Mental Wellbeing. Riding uses your body and your mind. The complete package for a more stress free and mentally stronger life.

Whether you ride regularly or less often, riding can give you benefits that therapy just can't.