Good Headspace: Riding Bikes for Mental Health
For me, riding a bike is more than exercise. Getting outside, moving my body, and spending time on trails gives me space to slow down, reset, and work through the stress and challenges of everyday life.
I once heard the phrase, "Get out of your head and into your body." It immediately made sense to me. It's a straightforward way to describe how I use movement to support my mental well-being, especially when life starts to feel overwhelming.
If I'm feeling unsettled or trying to solve a problem, I get outside and move. When time is limited, an intense cardio workout or short run can help. But when I have the opportunity, my favorite reset is riding a bike on dirt.
Finding Quiet on the Trail
Riding can feel transformative, almost like stepping into a different world.
I hear, see, smell, and feel the natural world around me. The noise of everyday life, both literal and figurative, begins to fade. My mind feels present instead of running in every direction.
I can feel the bike beneath me and the trail underneath the tires. I feel connected to where I am, and that feeling is deeply grounding.
Making Space to Talk About Mental Health
Mental health can be a vulnerable subject.
Conversations around it have become more common, but discomfort and stigma still exist. When I was younger, I often viewed feeling down or struggling emotionally as weakness. Age and experience have changed that perspective.
At 47, I'm much more comfortable acknowledging that exercise, time outdoors, and riding bikes are important tools I use to stay grounded and navigate difficult periods.
Rediscovering Home by Bike
During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, I became especially thankful for access to trails and the ability to ride.
In mid-March 2020, I paused my freelance work and returned to Denver. After traveling almost nonstop for three years, I embraced my childhood home base and immersed myself in the surrounding riding.
I rediscovered familiar routes and explored new ones. I soaked up the natural landscape around me: sun on my skin, birds singing, crisp morning air, and the feeling of pedaling through places that felt both familiar and new.
The trails were busy, but I still found my own space. Some days meant long urban rides. Others became front-country adventures. The exact route mattered less than the opportunity to move outside.
Sharing the Ride with the Next Generation
One of the highlights of that period was getting to reintroduce my nieces to mountain biking.
I'd taken them riding before, but this time we had the opportunity to make it a regular part of our routine.
One evening on the drive to the trailhead, my 13-year-old niece told me she was having a rough day. I acknowledged how she was feeling and quietly wondered whether the ride might help her feel differently.
About 10 minutes into the ride she exclaimed, "I feel so much better already!"
Soon we were pedaling and laughing in the late-day sun. Her 11-year-old sister, who was particularly interested in snack breaks, discovered an alternate route across a creek. That led to wet feet, more laughter, and big smiles.
Why Does Riding a Bike Feel So Good?
There are many reasons movement and time outdoors can support mental well-being. Physical activity can influence mood and stress, while spending time in natural environments can provide a welcome break from the demands and distractions of daily life.
My own explanation is much simpler: when I ride, my attention shifts.
Instead of focusing on whatever has been circling through my mind, I'm thinking about the trail, my breathing, where I'm going, and what I'm seeing around me.
For me, nature plus movement creates space to feel better.
Discovering New Places Through Riding
Eventually I found myself traveling again and returning to freelance work in small doses.
During a trip to Knoxville, Tennessee, I headed out one morning to explore the city's Urban Wilderness trail system.
Compared with Denver's landscape, the forests of South Knoxville felt completely immersive. Trees surrounded the trails, and the sights, sounds, and smells of the woods became part of the experience.
It reminded me of the idea behind "forest bathing," the simple practice of intentionally experiencing a natural environment through the senses.
Experiences like that remind me how grateful I am for trails across the country, and for the communities and people who build, maintain, and protect them.
Riding Toward a Better Headspace
Riding bikes is an important part of my well-being whether I'm at home or traveling.
Beyond the physical exercise, riding creates a space where I can listen, learn, reflect, and think about what comes next.
Bicycles and the outdoors help me step away from the noise for a while and return with a clearer perspective.
Sometimes getting into a better headspace starts with something very simple: getting outside, getting on the bike, and moving forward.
