Impact of physical activity on anxiety levels during the COVID-19 pandemic: an integrative review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33233/rbfex.v21i1.5011Keywords:
psychological well-being; lockdown; coronavirus; physical exercise; mental healthAbstract
Introduction: The pandemic caused by the new Coronavirus (COVID-19) has become one of the great torments of the 21st century. Social distancing was adopted as a measure to prevent the spread of the virus. Although necessary, this confinement can trigger emotional disorders. Physical activity has positive effects on physical well-being and mental health, including the possibility of reducing psychological suffering. Objective: To describe the impact of physical activity on anxiety levels during social isolation due to COVID-19, among young people and adults. Methods: An integrative review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations. Searches were performed between May and July 2021 in the APA PsycINFO, Medline (via PubMed), and Lilacs (via VHL) electronic databases. Results: Of the 95 scientific articles found, 12 were considered eligible. The analyzed studies showed that, during confinement, women became less physically active, while men performed more physical activities and had lower levels of anxiety. Additionally, the higher the scores for physical activity, the lower the anxiety symptoms. Conclusion: Individuals who remained physically active or increased the amount of daily physical activities with moderate and/or vigorous intensities had lower levels of psychological disorders during the social distancing imposed by COVID-19.
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