Say “goodbye” to the woes of college parking-lot angst and “hello” to the world of less-stress freedom. What magic fairy can wizard up such a situation? You. Research has yielded results time and time again showing that an increase in physical activity reduces stress, increases the feel-good juices, and promotes regulation of normal sleep cycles.
An article by Harvard Men’s Health Watch, discusses the importance of exercising to relax, “Almost any type of exercise will help.” Stress is expressed in the body in a variety of patterns such as: insomnia, anxiety, panic, muscle tightness and pain.
With college students being in the population of adults who are experiencing stress at proportionally higher levels than the rest of the population, it is imperative that students are able to recognize and take action to combat stress. Regular physical activity has influenced a decrease in blood pressure and a decreased risk of obesity and depression.
If you are a busy student and can’t seem to find the time to hop into the gym, a great way to get your exercise in is by riding your bike to school. If you live within a 2-5mile radius from CMU, your average commute time can be approximately 10-20 minutes on a bike.
If that sounds like a lot to you, consider this: The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week to stay healthy. If your commute time is 10-20 minutes and you are riding to and from your home and have class five times per week, you can potentially meet your benchmark requirements for physical activity to stay healthy just by commuting.
Many students may have days when they are finishing up assignments at the last minute, with seconds to spare before class starts. There are no “healthy living police” around who are going to ticket you for not riding you bike to school for one day and it’s okay. What makes healthy living so rewarding is that you reap the benefits of living life on your terms.
You see? Magic fairy. There are many ways to fit physical activity into a busy routine, it simply takes a little intentionality to choose those methods.
Commuting to work and school takes some planning the night before to monitor the weather and locate the safest and most efficient route to your destination. But consider that we live in one of the most exciting bicycling destinations in the world. With over 200 days of sunshine, the Grand Valley is sought out for its beautiful mountain biking scene from the Kokopelli trails to the Lunch Loops pump track.
We also have spectacular road-riding on the Colorado National Monument that have cyclists flocking from near and far to experience the breath-taking views at the top. In town, there are a variety of bike paths and lanes that cyclist have access to.
As CMU students, there are many resources available to locate appropriate trails, paths, and routes in order to make your cycling experience safe and efficient. There is also usually a bike-rack very close to whichever building on campus you’re traveling to.
Therefore, no more parking-lot woes because you can ride all the way up to the door and waltz right in like the healthy-living-bike-riding fairy you really are. Plus, there are over a dozen bike shops in the valley, stop by your local bike shop and learn more about what you need to start riding in the Wild-Wild West.
