Study Proves Biking Can Increase Your Life Expectancy

According to a study by the University of Utrecht, people that ride bikes live an average of six months longer than those that don’t ride bikes.

People For Bikes reports, “for every additional 75 minutes a week that you spend on a bike (that is, for every 11 minutes per day) you generally increase your lifespan by six months.”

Carlijn Kamphuis, from the Dutch University of Utrecht said in a BBC video, “You could say that for every hour you cycle, you get an extra hour back in return. So it adds to your life actually.”

It’s really not a mystery, eating better and exercising more can help your heart and overall well-being.

Two years ago, I surprised my husband on his birthday with a pair of bikes for us. Now every week (weather permitting) we take our bikes out on the trail to clock some miles. And while I enjoy walking, hiking and other outdoor activities, I can honestly say biking is probably my favorite thing.

Because I have to pay attention, watch out for traffic and steer, I can’t be on my phone. But I can still chat with my hubby. It’s a nice break from technology.

So if you’ve ever considered commuting to work, or just going on weekly bike trips, now you really have a reason to do so.

Photo by Yukiko Matsuoka