Has many physical and mental benefits regardless of the intensity of physical activity. Some benefits include improved mood, help in maintaining muscle mass and weight loss, stimulating muscle building, and increased energy levels. On the other hand, lack of regular physical activity may lead to chronic disease, ranging from increased belly fat to type 2 diabetes or heart disease. Regular exercise improves blood flow to the brain, which, consequently, improves brain function, memory and thinking skills. Engaging in regular exercise can also help people sleep better.
Published in Chapter:
Mental Health and Sports Activities Amid COVID-19
Igor Rižnar (University of Primorska, Slovenia) and Saša Zupan Korže (Vanadis, Slovenia)
Copyright: © 2021
|Pages: 12
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-6780-7.ch001
Abstract
Social distancing and self-isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic have wreaked havoc on people's brains and physical fitness. The current dire situation makes it extremely difficult for people to maintain sanity amid the pandemic, with more than 33 million coronavirus cases (as of September 27, 2020), more than a million deaths, and slightly less than eight million currently infected people, of which one percent are seriously or critically ill. During this time, the awareness that physical and mental health go hand in hand is extremely important if a “tsunami” of psychiatric illness is to be avoided. As COVID-19 will probably persist for months, this chapter aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining regular exercise routines for both physical and mental health; it is a warning against a sedentary lifestyle that inevitably leads to muscle loss, a slowing brain, weakened heart and lungs, weight gain, and poor sleep.