Celebrate Stress Awareness Month — On Your Bike!

April is National Stress Awareness month, in addition to what I call “Get Ready for National Bike Month Month.”

I don’t know about you, but when I haven’t been riding for a bit — and then get back on my bike — I realize how tense I’ve been. We all have crazy lives, and, as it turns out, bicycling is both a stress-awareness and stress-fighting tool.

A few years ago, Bike Radar talked to Neil Shah, director of the Stress Management Society, about the mental-health benefits of cycling.

“Cycling is one of the most effective treatments for stress and in many cases has been proven to be as effective as medication – if not more so,” he said. “Riding a bike is ideal because it’s so accessible and achievable – and the mountain of scientific evidence pointing towards its stress-busting properties is growing by the day.”

So, I wanted to give a special shout-out and thank you to Bicycle Friendly Communities in Washington, D.C., where I work, and Arlington, Va., where I live. These cities have made my ride to and from work pretty comfortable and relatively hassle-free.

I know I’m preaching to the choir — but it’s a reminder of how bicycling transforms our lives for the better.

So help us spread The Good Life from coast to coast this May. Bring friends and colleagues, start a team for the National Bike Challenge and get involved in National Bike Month!