Are There Mental Health Benefits of Motorcycle Riding?
Motorcycle riding has long been associated with freedom and adventure, but research suggests it may offer measurable mental health benefits. Scientists have examined the neurobiological and cognitive effects of riding, revealing quantifiable impacts on stress levels, attention, and cognitive function.
Stress
A study conducted by researchers at UCLA's Semel Institute for Neuroscience measured the effects of motorcycle riding on more than 50 participants. The study demonstrated decreased levels of cortisol, a hormonal marker of stress, with the bike ride resulting in a 28% decrease in biomarkers of stress. Researchers monitored participants' brain activity and hormone levels before, during, and after riding to establish these findings.
The cortisol reduction observed in the study is significant because elevated cortisol levels are associated with chronic stress, which can negatively impact both physical and mental health. This suggests that motorcycle riding may provide stress relief benefits comparable to other physical activities.
Focus & Memory
The UCLA study found that riding a motorcycle increased metrics of focus and attention compared to driving a car. Riding enhances visual attention and makes the brain significantly more responsive to external conditions, with this increased alertness comparable to the effects of caffeine.
Research from Tohoku University in Japan examined the longer-term cognitive effects of motorcycle riding. The study used 22 men in their 40s and 50s who had taken a break from riding motorcycles. Half of men began riding again and were compared with other half of the group, who did not start riding again. Researchers found that when riders go back to using a motorcycle in daily life after having taken a significant break from the activity, they demonstrated improvements in memory, executive function, spatial recognition and other brain functions.
The researchers noted that these brain region show less activation compared to driving a car, suggesting that the additional cognitive demands of motorcycle riding may be a form of mental exercise.
Why Motorcycle Riding?
Several factors may contribute to the mental health benefits observed in these studies:
Active Engagement: Unlike driving a car, riding a motorcycle requires continuous physical and mental engagement: balancing, coordinating multiple controls, and processing information constantly.
Sensory Stimulation: Motorcycle riding provides visual, auditory, vestibular (balance), and kinesthetic (movement) feedback constantly. This rich experience enhances neural activation and cognitive processing.
Physical Activity: Operating a motorcycle involves core strength, coordination, and physical effort, which contributes to the stress reduction effects.
Present-Moment Mindfulness: The concentration required for safe riding naturally directs attention to the present moment which is similar to mindfulness.
The current research has some limitations including study funding (Harley-Davidson funded the UCLA study) and small sample sizes. However, the information we have thus far is positive: it does appear that motorcycle riding can reduce stress, increase attention and focus, and improve certain cognitive functions.
Although it’s not a replacement for professional therapy or good mental health hygiene, it appears there is a reason motorcycle riders report mental clarity, stress relief, and experiencing a state of “Zen” on their bikes. Maybe this article will help convince the wife you really should get a motorcycle…for your mental health obviously.
