The Mental Benefits of SpinⓇ a.k.a. Indoor Cycling

SpinⓇ and indoor cycling classes began in 1991 and are maintaining popularity 3 decades later. Cycling burns calories, builds muscle, strengthens your core, and builds up your stamina in a low-impact environment and a potentially high-intensity way. While the physical benefits are impressive, many people don’t realize what cycling can do for your mind. SpinⓇ classes offer the opportunity to improve your physical fitness, and enhance your mental wellness, making for a well-rounded workout.

Your brain is getting just as much of a workout as your body during a SpinⓇ class. Blood flow increases, which means more oxygen is being supplied to the brain, improving its performance. Exercise also increases the production of new brain cells, and increases neurotransmitter activity, which in turn improves cognitive performance. Cycling also allows our bodies to better regulate cortisol (the stress hormone), and also increases the production of serotonin (the happy hormone) and dopamine (the hormone associated with motivation, memory, and reward).

That’s a basic look at the science behind cycling and your brain, but what does this actually mean for your mental wellness?

SpinningⓇ is a ride for your body, a journey for your mind, and a celebration of your soul!

Here are a few of the most notable benefits of SpinningⓇ:

Improve Memory and Cognitive Function

A SpinⓇ class can do wonders for your cognition. In a 2013 study, researchers found that after 30 minutes of cycling, test subjects scored higher on tests looking at memory, reasoning, and planning. On top of that, cardiovascular exercise has been linked to decreasing your chance of developing dementia. By cycling, you are improving your cognition.

Boost Happiness

The serotonin and dopamine boost you get with cycling is enough to alter your mood and put a pep in your step. If you are looking for exercise that will boost your physical health while also making you feel happier in the process, a SpinⓇ class is the way to go.

Decrease Stress

While a SpinⓇ class offers the opportunity to train at a high intensity, it can also be incredibly calming when training levels are coached appropriately. You can sink into the experience and let stress melt away. Since cycling can help your body better regulate your hormones (particularly cortisol), you’ll be better equipped to handle the stressors you are facing throughout your day.

Stay Focused and Mindful

When you are cycling, you enter a zone of focus. Your attention is on what is happening within the four walls of the studio: things like the beat of the music, the movement of your legs, and the sound of your breath. This intense, internal focus on the present moment can increase your mindfulness, which easily seeps into other areas of your life outside of the studio.

Increase Confidence

You’ve probably noticed the spike in confidence you get after working out. That feeling of accomplishment you get from committing to your physical fitness is unmatched. The same can be said with SpinⓇ, especially if you continue to commit to it. Over time, as you improve your skills and hit new goals, your self-confidence will soar.

If you’re looking to reap both the physical and mental benefits of cycling, check out our class schedule to sign up for a SpinⓇ class that works for you. Spinning is for everyone, at all fitness levels. You can do it, we’ll coach you through it.