The benefits of cycling to work – Health, productivity, and savings

Commuting to work by bicycle is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. It is preferred not only in the Netherlands, Denmark, or Germany, but more and more often in Bulgaria as well. The major Bulgarian cities are trying to build infrastructure that encourages the use of bicycles: in Plovdiv, for example, there is a large network of bike lanes. In Sofia, things are moving more slowly, but even there, new bike lanes have been built in recent years, and wherever there is a bike lane, there are always many cyclists.

1. The feeling of moving while everyone else is stressed in traffic on the way to work is priceless. So hurry slowly to your workplace by bike or on foot.

2. Before facing the chaos at work, as well as after the workday ends, cycling is the perfect time to be alone with your thoughts, to get rid of stress and accumulated tension, and to arrive positively charged at the office or home in the evening.

3. Cycling is the ideal cardio workout, which is a great way to start the day. It acts as a tonic and energizes you for the whole day, which improves work capacity and makes you more productive at the workplace. Walking and cycling reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, help fight obesity. Walking or cycling to work will also significantly reduce daily stress caused by traffic jams, bad roads, lack of parking spaces near the workplace, stressed drivers, crowded public transport, etc.

4. One hour on a bike adds one hour to your life. Cycling not only helps protect you from premature death but also extends life. Professor David Spiegelhalter from the University of Cambridge estimates that one hour of cycling adds on average one hour to our lives. That is why the life expectancy of cyclists is two years above the usual level.

5. Companies will save millions from otherwise lost productivity. A study by Dutch scientists shows that people who commute by bike take sick leave less often. This is because they are tougher and healthier.

6. All the excuses to avoid the bicycle are usually insufficient. "We know, you sweat. Taxi drivers are tyrants. You might crash into a suddenly opened car door. However, all these negatives are less significant as arguments than those listed above. The bicycle will keep you in shape, make you feel happier due to physical activity, and save you expenses," emphasize the American authors. Their advice is to always choose the bicycle whenever possible. The recently popular electric bicycles are a very good way to use the bike for commuting to work and avoid unpleasant sweating. The city-type bicycle is most suitable for cycling in work clothes because the posture is upright. City bicycles are often equipped with a rack or basket and lights. The gears are often built-in and the chain covered, so clothes do not get dirty.