The Escapades of My Electric Bicycle and the Destinations It Led Me To
In the concrete jungle of New York City, Yessenia Funes, the climate editor of Atmos, found a silver lining in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the city shut down, she sold her motorcycle and purchased an electric bike (e-bike) instead.
At the height of the pandemic, Yessenia found it hard to muster the motivation to go outside due to the fear of spreading the coronavirus. But her e-bike soon became more than just a means of transportation—it was a source of magic and love that brought joy and healing into her life.
Spending time outdoors on her e-bike helped Yessenia pull out of a dark place. The fresh air and natural surroundings, combined with the ease of riding, triggered her brain to release serotonin, the happy hormone. E-bike rides quickly became her favorite activity during the pandemic.
Yessenia started daydreaming about future family activities, including park picnics and teaching her children to ride in New York City. Her e-bike played a significant role in healing her mental health, and she found hope in her future, a feeling she hadn't experienced for a while.
The use of e-bikes during the pandemic offers significant psychological and mental health benefits. They help reduce stress, alleviate anxiety and depression, increase feelings of joy, and enhance mental well-being due to outdoor exercise and fresh air exposure. E-bikes encourage regular exercise, making cycling more accessible and less strenuous, which supports mental health comparably or better than traditional cycling.
E-bikes also offer a safe, low-impact transportation and exercise option that contributed to maintaining mental health and resilience during the pandemic. Their use eased urban congestion and pollution, indirectly improving community mental well-being by creating quieter, more livable environments.
In May, e-bike sales increased by 137 percent, and Yessenia and her partner discovered Forest Park, a 500-acre park in New York City, and made it a tradition to ride through it at least once a week. Spending time outside, even in the concrete jungle of New York City, was transformative for Yessenia.
For Yessenia, her e-bike rides offered a much-needed escape from the stress and isolation of the pandemic. They brought magic and love into her life, helping her navigate the challenging times and improve her mental health. As the world continues to grapple with the ongoing pandemic, the psychological benefits of e-bikes may prove to be a valuable coping mechanism for many.
- Yessenia, the climate editor of Atmos magazine, discovered a new way to enjoy outdoor living during the COVID-19 pandemic—riding her e-bike through Forest Park in New York City.
- In the midst of the pandemic, art and health-and-wellness magazine Atmos's team member found that her electric bike not only provided a means of fitness-and-exercise but also served as a therapeutic tool for her mental health.
- As more people turned to newsletters and online resources for information during the pandemic, Yessenia Funes and her partner developed a new routine of community building by exploring the outdoor-living opportunities within their city.
- The rise in e-bike sales during the pandemic reflects a growing interest in low-impact fitness solutions that offer both physical exercise and stress relief, contributing to a stronger home-and-garden lifestyle in city living.
- Apart from the usual features covered in science and lifestyle articles, the benefits of e-bikes on mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic have gained attention as an important aspect for city-dwellers seeking fun, active ways to manage their health and emotional well-being.
