Mental Health, Resilience and Sports Activity in the Initial Phase of The First COVID-19 Lockdown in Germany

Abstract

Background Quarantine and social-distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic situation resulted in a radical change in lifestyle behaviors. While the reduction of total physical activity is assumed to negatively impact psychological health (higher stress and anxiety levels), regular sports activity during lockdown conditions has beneficial effects on health. Mechanisms are however unclear. The present analysis therefore examined the associations of sports activity with mental health, and assessed whether this is due to a direct effect on experiencing positive emotions and mental health, due to a stress-buffering mechanism, and/or through protecting/enhancing resilience. Methods An online survey, accessible from April 7th to April 30th 2020, gathered data on sports activity (Physical Activity, Exercise, and Sport Questionnaire, BSA), mental health (Patient Health Questionnaire-4, PHQ-4, WHO Wellbeing Index, WHO-5), momentary stress (single item), and resilience (i.e. feeling determined, cheerful, content, and being interested in the things one is doing). The final data set comprised 742 subjects including 534 (72.0%) women and ranging in age from 16 to 83 years (mean: 28.13 ± 11.46 years). Results Across all participants, sports activity was related to higher wellbeing and resilience but lower affective psychopathology. Importantly, all coefficients were below 0.2 indicating only small-sized associations. Moderation analyses confirmed a direct effect of sports activity on affective symptoms and wellbeing. Stress-buffering effects were not confirmed for either outcome but a resilience-protecting effect was seen for both wellbeing and affective psychopathology. Conclusions During the initial phase of the first COVID-19 lockdown, sports activity was associated with better mental health and wellbeing. Besides this direct effect, there was also evidence for a resilience-protecting effect of sport. The assumed stress-buffering effect could not be confirmed. Present findings indicate resilience-protective mechanisms to be a major contributor to sports beneficial effects on mental health during quarantine. Though, results from this cross-sectional, predominantly female, and convenience sample study must be confirmed in more diverse samples.

Direct and Stress-Buffering Effects of COVID-19-Related Changes in Exercise Activity on the Well-Being of German Sport Students

“…Nevertheless, exercise is more than being active. Through indirect effects, regular exercise activity provides coping resources via social support, self-efficacy, better sleep quality [115], and protects resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic [116]. Our findings partially confirm such indirect mechanisms for the stressbuffering capabilities of exercise activity with a particular focus on emotion regulation.…”