By: Anna Soucier, OC Fit Mommy
Surely, you’ve heard of a “runner’s high” before?
It is that undeniable post-run feeling of awe, elation, calmness and ability to conquer the world. This rush, or “high” keeps runners coming back for more and more and more, until running becomes a full-blown addiction! An amazing addiction to have, I might add.
Well, what if I were to tell you that cycling creates a similar high as well? A cyclist’s high! Some cyclists find this high to be even greater and longer than a runner’s high. But all this may be a little too subjective to start getting competitive over, so let’s examine all this euphoria and get in on it!
Neurological Effects of Cycling
Apparently, cycling’s greatest mental benefit is its effect on our mood! Feeling crabby or down in the dumps? Jump on a bike!
Cyclists are generally happier people! Why wouldn’t they be? They’re living the high life and research is now better able to explain the “why” for the “high”.
This may come as breaking news to some, but the ever so popular post-workout “endorphin rush”, may not in fact be caused by a rush of endorphins! Yeah, I’m still trying to process it all myself.
A study done by Psychologist/Professor Arne Deitrich in 2004 resulted in some amazing findings! I’ll quote Deitrich because I can’t do a better job of saying this myself. He says…
“I had suspected long before we did the study that endorphins couldn’t explain the sort of high cyclists and runners speak about. Endorphins are proteins and, as a result, can’t cross the blood-brain barrier. Plus, endorphins are what get released when you take morphine-based drugs and they have trademark biological signals (constricted pupils being the most obvious). None of these symptoms is visible post-exercise, so it seemed extremely unlikely endorphins had anything to do with it.”
Crazy! Right? Hmm, he’s onto something, that professor! Furthermore, and here’s where things really take flight! His team found, (and the same conclusion has been noted by other researchers) that the “rush” was in fact attributed to blood level increases of anandamide, a natural cannabinoid!
Yes, so it appears that it is the cannabinoids that are working hard during and post cycling and creating the “high” sensation that cyclists can’t get enough of.
So here is where the dots connect and now we can perhaps understand what cycling and marijuana have in common! Cannabiniods work within the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which happens to be the same part of the brain that marijuana affects. In other words, activating the ECS, be it through cycling or marijuana, alters emotional and cognitive processes, resulting in a sense of elation, calmness, wellbeing….just feeling good or “high”! Ahh, we’ve come full circle and the “highs” make sense now! (Learn more about the ECS here)
Quite frankly, I’m not going to question exactly what’s going on with my body to create my exercise high. I’m just going to work for it and enjoy it. Be it endorphins or cannabinoids, if it’s getting me high (naturally), I’m here for it!
Remember Not all Highs are Created Equal
Now, just because cycling and marijuana both have profound effects on our endocannabinoid system, it’s important to note that not all “highs” are created equal. These two highs are very different in nature and each offers different benefits and consequences.
A cyclist’s high improves cognitive function and leaves individuals feeling energized, while marijuana may impair thinking, slow reflexes and sometimes leave us feeling lethargic.
Let’s be clear here. I’m not judging anyone’s “high” preference or discounting the medicinal uses of marijuana. Without opening a can of worms here, I’ll just quickly note that marijuana use has been shown to have both positive as well as negative effects.
Despite the fact that getting “high” may feel good, a marijuana high may not always be in the best interests of your health – especially if you are a teenager or young adult and your brain is not fully developed. Thankfully, a cyclist’s high does not have those pitfalls. Well, actually, the only risk you take with cycling is an addiction to the sport. I’ll risk that any day!
So Perhaps There’s Nothing Left to Do but to Get High With Cycling!
Cyclists live for the “high” they experience during and following exercise! It’s a reap what you sow type deal, so the greater the intensity of the workout, the greater the euphoria experienced by the rider (generally). The high feeling from cycling helps you connect with the “now” or the “zone”, and there are few things greater than completely living in the moment. The “high” doesn’t discriminate between cycling indoors or outdoors, but individuals may have a preference over where they ride. Inside a spin studio, between the lighting, music and energy, a different sense of ‘connectedness’ and happiness usually overcomes riders. Either way, cycling with a group of people, all pushing past their limits together, really stirs up those cannabinoids, no matter where you do it.
With indoor cycling studios rapidly popping up on city streets, or the option of free reign cycling outdoors, there’s no reason to miss out on this goodness.
And what better way to recover after cycling or spinning than with the use of our whole body or spot cryotherapy sessions? All this post cycling recovery reduces the muscle soreness and inflammation from the workout so you can get back on the bike again to experience that wonderful high. At our Hillcrest location, CycleBar members enjoy some free cryotherapy benefits.
So go sign up for a cycling class and pedal hard for that “high!” Then chill with us so you can do it again.
Wake up, Cycle, Chill, Repeat!
(Other sources for this article were the following: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/medical-marijuana-2018011513085; https://www.cyclingplus.com/articles/heres-why-riding-your-bike-makes-you-feel-great/;https://www.healthline.com/health/endocannabinoid-system-2;https://www.bike.nyc/blog/news/this-is-your-brain-on-bikes-the-neurological-effects-of-cycling/).