How Exercise Can Change Your Brain

On 18. February 2021 By solitudeseekers_ccLeave a comment

Create Long Lasting and Protective Benefits for Your Brain

February, 18

Introduction

Before I begin, let me introduce myself. My name is Lucas, I’m a cycling dad who is passionate about helping and encouraging people on their mental health journey. I do this by sharing my own honest life stories, as well as giving you tips and tools to help you on your journey to freedom. I live in Manchester UK, where I have been based for the last 15 years.

Enjoying very rare moment: cycling outside in winter

My background

I noticed that I was struggling with my mental health after my first child was born. I was fortunate enough to have a friend who has noticed something was wrong, and during a man-to-man chat, he convinced me to seek professional help. Fast forward a few years and I decided to use my “weakness” to help people who may have not benefitted from a helping hand, guiding them on their journey.

I decided to use my “weakness” to help people on their journey with Mental Health.

The idea of @Cycling4MentalHealth was born, with a mission to take down the stigma of mental health and I began to research ways to improve both my physical AND mental health.
So, according to research, by simply moving your body, you can create long lasting and protective benefits for your brain that last a lifetime. The 2 main parts in your brain are: the Prefrontal Cortex responsible for decision making, focus and your personality, and the Temporal Lobe, and inside that you have your Hippocampus critical for building and retaining long term memories.

After climbing few hills in UK’s Peak District had to stop for a quick shot.

2 Main Reasons:

1) A workout will instantly increase levels of serotonin, dopamine that is going to increase your mood right away. It is proven that even a single workout can shift your mood and focus attention by up to 2h. By exercising we produce new brain cells in the hippocampus area, that actually increase its volume. With bigger volume, the hippocampus area will hold your mood for much longer. To make it last a life time we have to change the exercise regime, increase our cardio respiratory function and carry on doing it. How much do I need to exercise I hear you ask, 3 – 4 times a week for at least 30min.

2) Regularly exercising will create protective effects on your brain. And just like a muscle, the more you workout, the bigger and stronger you become. This won’t stop diseases such as depression and anxiety trying to sneak in, but it will make it more difficult for them to enter.

Find more from Lucas
on YouTube, on Instagram
and follow him on Zwift by searching L Lucas(Cycling4MentalHealth)

All photos by Lucas (@Cycling4MentalHealth)

Code of Behavior

On 3. June 20193. November 2019 By solitudeseekers_ccLeave a comment

Solitude Seekers CC is a Cycling Club!

It is a cycling club for any cyclist – no matter if you are in good health or facing mental (or physical) issues in your current life phase (like depression, burnout, insomnia, PTSD, etc.).
The basic idea of Solitude Seekers CC is to give people with mental issues a home base, where inspiration can be found and individual experiences can be shared.

It is a cycling club for any cyclist – no matter if you are riding fast or slow, for training or for recreation, on a road race bike, MTB, TT, gravel bike, Fixie, folding bike, or any other kind of two-wheeler (although we have to admit that we have quite a strong preference on road bikes 🙂 ).

And last but not least,

it is a cycling club for any cyclist – no matter if you are dense or bright, rich or poor, female or male (or any other gender), no matter if your skin is black, white, red, blue or whatever other color, no matter if you are an atheist, a Christian, Muslim, Jew, Budhhist, Hindu or whatever – and finally, no matter if your sexual orientation is straight, LGBTQ, asexual or whatever.

It simply doesn’t matter.

BUT:
We definitely do not accept any kind of racism, sexism, violence or any other form of degradation!

We are all cyclists and human beings, and that’s all that matters!

Oh yes, thanks Wilson for reminding me:
And we like to keep politics outside of the club too 🐺 ♥

Chris and Wilson
Solitude Seekers CC

Lonely United ★ Never Drafting

On 27. May 20193. November 2019 By solitudeseekers_ccLeave a comment

Solitude Seekers is a Cycling Club for everybody, no matter if you are poor or rich, white or black, green, blue, red or yellow; female or male (or others), straight or homosexual, bright or dense, etc.

But most of it, it is a cycling club for people facing depressions, burnouts, insomnia and all the rest of it. It is a club for people who believe road cycling* is helping them to overcome this period in life.

*but MTB, BMX, folding bikes, and all the rest too

For me personally I prefer to ride on my own, all alone in nature, feeling the power of my body but of the elements too. This is my way to free my mind. I have overcome my burnout and road cycling has helped me a lot.

Ok, I was riding before s**t hits the fan, but I never stopped during dejection. When it all started, riding helped me to run away from the problems. Later it helped me to get my thoughts sorted and to keep my mind free; but always it kept my body moving and forced me to go out into nature.

Therefore I love cycling.
And I would always recommend it to people facing similar situations.

#fightingdepressionwithfitness

Christian
@christian_chrome