The fall season always reminds me of new beginnings and fresh starts. A new school year brings me just as much excitement as the New Year; I find myself planning new healthy habits and routines and excited to get into a new season!
One habit I picked up this summer that I’m planning to continue through the fall is biking. Earlier this summer, I partnered up with Schwinn Bikes and had a great time exploring all the biking trails around my hometown of Toronto.
Now that I’m about to start school, I want to continue getting all the use I can out of my Schwinn bike and today I’m going to give you a few reasons why you should be making biking a part of your daily fall routine too!
You can take advantage of the great outdoors
Fall is really one of the best times to be outside on the bike; the weather is just cool enough to bike comfortably without sweating from the sweltering heat. Plus, the changing leaves and fall colors will make for a beautifully scenic ride!
It’s a great workout
Though you might not be able to track your steps on your bike, biking is just as great of a workout. Adding in a short bike ride to your daily routine will improve your cardiovascular health and it’s a great way to switch up your workout routine!
It’s good for the environment
By biking to work or school instead of relying on your car or even public transit, you’ll be seriously reducing your carbon footprint and helping the environment. Biking is the perfect solution to pollution-free commuting!
You won’t have to fight for parking
I mean really, have you ever seen an overflowing bike rack? By biking instead of driving you’ll save yourself all the time and stress of searching for a parking spot. Plus, the bike racks are usually closer to buildings than the parking lots so you’ll be that much closer to where you’re trying to go!
It preserves your mental health
Exercise has been proven to decrease stress and improve overall mood. Biking is especially powerful in improving mental health because it’s done outdoors and triggers a ton of endorphins. If you’ve been feeling down or like you’re in a rut lately, try hopping on a bike a few times a week and see if you’re feeling a bit better by the end of it!
You’ll save money
Driving to my college campus costs me about $200 a month in gas plus $70 a month for my school’s parking pass. That doesn’t even factor in any maintenance or unexpected problems with my car! These numbers are just to give you an idea of how much money you can save by ditching your car and biking instead!
It’ll be easier to focus in class
If you’re a student biking to campus may just be the key to better grades. Studies have shown that exercise such as biking can improve mental processes including problem-solving and information retention. These are improved even more when your exercise is done outside. Try biking to campus a few times a week and see if you have an easier time listening to what your professor is teaching you.
You’ll sleep better
Studies have shown that riding a bike for even 30 minutes a day can help you fall asleep faster every night. Hop on a quick ride through your neighborhood to eliminate that awful tossing and turning at the end of the night and get straight to snoozing!
You’ll make new friends
Like any new hobby, biking will introduce you to a new crowd of people who also enjoy biking. Use this as an opportunity to expand your friend group and interact with people you would never have before.
It’ll boost your creativity
Better sleep and sharper focus thanks to bike riding will combine to make you a more creative person. No more struggling to brainstorm a new project or find the perfect words for an essay; biking will enhance the areas of your brain responsible for creative thinking and bring all your wild ideas back to life.
That’s all for today guys! I hope this post was helpful and inspired you to get back on a bike this fall!
This post was in partnership with Schwinn Bikes. All opinions are my own.
