Participation in Physical Activity, Resilience, and Emotions in Two Consecutive Lockdowns during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The mental consequences of dealing with both the COVID-19 pandemic and the strict lockdown implemented by governments worldwide to fight the virus are currently unknown. We performed an online survey in Israel during two consecutive lockdowns (Waves 1 & 2).

Aim: To examine if there was an association between physical activity (PA) and factors of mental strength (personal ability and positive acceptance of changes), negative emotions, and depression during the two waves of lockdown due to COVID-19.

Method: One-hundred and thirty-five participants filled out the survey questionnaire twice – during the first and during the second lockdowns (Waves 1 & 2), two months apart.

Results: PA behaviors were divided into three categories: those who increased their PA in the second lockdown, those who did not change their PA habits, and those who decreased their PA.

ANOVA with repeated measures was performed. For negative emotions, Interaction time X group [F(2,118)=4.856,p=0.009], showing that negative emotions decreased among those who increased their PA and increased among those who decreased their PA.

For depression, only the time effect was significant [F(1,124)=4.745,p=0.031], showing that depression decreased among those who increased their PA from a mean (SD) of 1.97(0.65) to 1.85 (0.60).

Among participants who increased their PA between Waves 1 and 2, negative emotions decreased from 2.2(0.8) to 2.0(0.8) p0.001 and depression decreased from 1.9(0.7) to 1.8(0.7), respectively.

Among participants who decreased their PA between Wave 1 and 2, negative emotions increased by 1.8(0.7) to 2.2(0.7), respectively p0.001, and the depression level was unchanged.

Conclusion: Negative emotions and depression factors were lower during Wave 2 compared to Wave 1. All participants had higher positive emotions and mental strength factors, and lower negative emotions and depression levels in Wave 2 compared to Wave 1.

Participating in PA was correlated with higher mental strength factors, positive emotion factors, lower negative emotion factors, and lower depression factors in both Waves 1 & 2.

Decreased PA resulted in higher levels of negative emotions and depression factors, while increased PA was associated with an increase in mental strength factors and positive emotions. Participants who reported increasing their PA during Wave 2 had lower negative emotions and depression factors than in Wave 1.