A cycle ride a day keeps the doctor away

We all know that exercise is good for us, but scheduling the time for such pursuits can sometimes feel like a challenge. Fortunately, Santander Cycles make it easy to incorporate physical activity into your daily life, increasing your cardiovascular fitness and muscle tone without even having to think about it, every time you get on a bike.

People of all ages and fitness levels can benefit from cycling. It burns more calories than walking for an equivalent distance, and is easier on the joints than pounding the pavements. It’s good for heart and lung health too. So why not hop on a Santander Cycle for a journey that you’d usually make on foot? Doctors recommend cycling for at least 150 minutes per week to see real benefits to your cardiovascular health, which equates to a very manageable 20 minutes per day.

Cycling tones the legs and bottom, and a hilly ride will bring the muscles of the upper body into play too. While most of central London is fairly flat, you’ll find that the route from King’s Cross to Islington offers a good climb. The 12km Tamsin Trail around the perimeter of Richmond Park is also pretty knackering – hire a Santander Cycle from one of the docking stations in Putney, a 10-minute ride away.

There are plenty of mental health benefits to cycling too. Exercise releases endorphins, your body’s natural feel-good chemicals, so taking a spin on a Santander Cycle can improve your mood and reduce stress. Physical activity improves alertness too and promotes a positive mental attitude – there’s nothing like the feeling of achieving a fitness goal, no matter how small.

Cycling also encourages switching off from the non-stop interference of our hyper-connected lives. Time away from social media is a breath of fresh air that more of us could benefit from. And at the end of a day of cycling, you’ll sleep better too.