Impact of social isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on the mood profile of active and sedentary older adults: physical activity as a protective factor.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our habits and lifestyle due to social isolation and mobility restrictions. This new scenario, together with the fear of contracting the coronavirus, influenced mental health, especially among older adults, who presented reductions in social contact and physical activity (PA). Thus, the objective of the study was to analyze the impact caused by social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic on the mood states of active and sedentary older adults. Methods: This is an observational study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Older adults aged over 60 years, who were registered in the database of the Secretariat for the Promotion of Citizenship from a city in southern Brazil, participated in the research. An online questionnaire was applied with questions about sociodemographic characteristics, level of PA, confinement, and mood states in two periods: May 2020 and June 2021. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the mood states of active and inactive individuals during the pandemic. Results: One hundred and fifty participants answered the questionnaire, of which 80 (53.3%) reported practicing PA. More active older adults suffered fewer changes in mood when compared to inactive older adults, with lower levels of confusion (p = 0.035), depression (p = 0.002), and fatigue (p = 0.000). Older adults confined for more than 50 days were more likely to develop depression. In addition, the mood state correlated with the variable fear of contracting the coronavirus; the greater the fear, the greater the mental confusion, depression, fatigue, and tension, and the lower the vigor in the older adults. The practice of PA is also correlated with the mood state; the greater the number of hours dedicated to PA, the lower the confusion, depression, fatigue, and tension of the older adults. Conclusion: The practice of PA positively influenced the mental health of older adults during periods of isolation and social restrictions. PA has a protective factor for the development of mental health problems and improves mood states, with greater time performing PA leading to more benefits.

Effects of resistance training on sleep of patients with fibromyalgia: A systematic review.

This study investigated the effects of resistance training (RT) on the sleep quality of patients with fibromyalgia (FM), through a systematic review. The search was carried out in the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Initially, 148 studies were found, of which six were included for qualitative analysis. Four studies showed significant improvement in sleep after RT. Compared to other exercise modalities, RT proved to be superior to flexibility training and equivalent to aerobic exercise. Interventions lasted from 4 to 21 weeks, the weekly frequency ranged from two to three times, and the intensity ranged from 40% to 80% 1RM, with exercises for the major muscle groups. RT is an intervention that can be used to treat FM, however, more studies are needed to verify its effectiveness in improving sleep.

Effects of Air Pollution on the Health of Older Adults during Physical Activities: Mapping Review.

Atmospheric pollutants present environmental threats to health and have been investigated in different environments, such as highways, squares, parks, and gyms. These environments are frequented by older adults, who are considered fragile to the harmful impacts of pollution present in the air. The aim was to analyze the state of the art on the effects of air pollution on the health of older adults during physical activities (PAs) through a mapping review. The search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cinahl databases until June 2022. Of the 10,109 studies initially identified, 58 met the inclusion criteria. The most investigated health outcome was cardiovascular disease, followed by respiratory outcomes. Particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) were the most investigated pollutants. Of the 75 health outcomes investigated, in 29, air pollution had harmful effects on the health of the older adults during the practice of PA, more frequently in cardiovascular diseases. In 25 outcomes, the beneficial effects of PA to the health of the older adults remained, despite exposure to high and low concentrations of pollutants, most often in terms of mental disorders. We conclude that poor air quality is a harmful factor for the health of older adults during the practice of PAs, more frequently in cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. On the other hand, for mental-health-related outcomes (depression and cognition), in most studies, the beneficial effects of PA in older adults were maintained, even after exposure to pollutants.