The Importance of Nature Exposure and Physical Activity for Psychological Health and Stress Perception: Evidence From the First Lockdown Period During the Coronavirus Pandemic 2020 in France and Germany

Abstract

Objective: This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study aims to compare physical activity and nature exposure levels between people living in France and Germany during the lockdown. Furthermore, the secondary aim is to observe the relationship between perceived stress, psychological health, physical activity, and nature exposure in Germany and France during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related lockdown of April/May 2020.Methods: The study includes 419 participants who have completed the Perceived Stress Scale 10, the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF, the Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire, the modified Nature Exposure Scale, and complementary questions related to the lockdown period from April 19 to May 11, 2020. Multiple regression models were constructed to evaluate the relationship of nature exposure and physical exercise with overall stress perception and psychological health in France and Germany when considering a broad range of covariates.Results: Exposure to nature during the lockdown (ηp2 = 0.034, p < 0.001), amount of physical activity ηp2 = 0.014, p < 0.001), and psychological health (ηp2 = 0.041, p < 0.001) were greater in German compared with French participants. Godin Index and Nature Exposure Scale total score were both inversely correlated to stress perception and positively correlated to psychological health. The stress and psychological health regression models explained 10% of the results' variance. Physical activity (Godin Index) was a significant for both models. Nature Exposure Scale total score was a significant predictor only for psychological health. When including all significant covariates, the regression models explained 30.7% for the perceived stress and 42.1% for the psychological health total overall variance.Conclusion: Physical activity and nature exposure are significant predictors of psychological health. Even though both variables are associated with stress perception, only physical activity is a significant predictor of stress perception. Our results suggest that physical activity and nature exposure were key factors to go through the lockdown period in France and Germany.

The Mediating Effect of Coping Style on Physical Activity and Negative Affect Caused by Public Health Emergencies: Evidence from Chinese College Students

“…The hypothesis H1 is verified, and this extends the previous research conclusions on PA and negative affect [17,22,23]. PA provides people with a kind of emotional regulation or physical confrontation for coping with stress [91], improve the exerciser's antistress capability [92], and reduce the intensity of stress response [93]. For example, PA can reduce cortisol concentrations during stress, thereby reducing the impact of stress on health [94].…”

Greenspace and park use associated with less emotional distress among college students in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Government-imposed “lockdowns” and “stay-at-home” orders designed to minimize social contact effectively slowed the spread of the pandemic ( Atalan, 2020 ), but their effects on psychological well-being in populations around the world have been profound ( Pfefferbaum and North, 2020 ; Torales et al, 2020 ). For example, studies have shown pandemic-related increases in feelings of loneliness and isolation ( Stieger et al, 2021 ), acute stress ( Holman et al, 2020 ; Javelle et al, 2021 ; Liu et al, 2020 ), anxiety ( Ahmed et al, 2020 ), depression ( Holman et al, 2020 ; Kantor and Kantor, 2020 ), and other negative emotions ( Lades et al, 2020 ) and behaviors such as suicide ( O'Connor et al, 2021 ). These collective impacts are so severe that some scholars are referring to the mental health spillover from COVID-19 as the “second pandemic” ( Choi et al, 2020 ).…”

Betreuung von Sportlern in Covid-19-Zeiten: eine Perspektive aus der Sportpsychologie

“…Ein Jahrzehnt später, nach mehreren gesundheitsorientierten Interventionen, wurde berichtet, dass „Grüne Bewegung“ zu einer besseren kardiovaskulären und neuroendokrinen Kontrolle, einer geringeren wahrgenommenen Anstrengung, zu Stressabbau, zur Wiederherstellung der mentalen Stärke und zu einer Verbesserung der Stimmung, des Selbstwertgefühls sowie des Gesundheitsgefühls führt 35 . Vor dem Hintergrund dieser Forschungsergebnisse haben Javelle und Kolleg*innen 20 gezeigt, dass die mit den ersten Covid-19 verbundenen Ausgangsbeschränkungen in Frankreich und Deutschland die Möglichkeiten der Menschen, in die Natur zu gehen und Sport zu treiben, begrenzt haben, was einen unmittelbaren Einfluss auf das Stressempfinden und die psychische Gesundheit hatte. Sie konnten auch nachweisen, dass Personen, die sich wenig in der Natur aufhielten und sich wenig bewegten, eine schlechtere psychische Gesundheit aufwiesen.…”