Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training and Moderate-Intensity Training on Stress, Depression, Anxiety, and Resilience in Healthy Adults During Coronavirus Disease 2019 Confinement: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effects of two intervention programs, (1) high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and (2) moderate-intensity training (MIT), on anxiety, depression, stress, and resilience during the confinement caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in healthy adults.Methods: A total of 67 adults who participated were randomly assigned to two groups: HIIT and MIT groups. The MIT group had to perform a home-based intervention based on aerobic exercises, whereas the HIIT group had to perform a home-based intervention based on HIIT exercises. The two groups (HIIT and MIT) had to complete the same physical exercise volume, 40 min per session (6 days per week) during the confinement period (6 weeks). Depression, anxiety, stress, and resilience were assessed before and after the intervention.Results: Results showed that HIIT and MIT significantly reduced the stress, anxiety, and depression as well as increase the resilience (p < 0.05). Moreover, the improvements obtained in the HIIT group seem to be greater than those of the MIT group in depression (p < 0.05).Conclusions: HIIT and MIT decreased anxiety, stress, and depression as well as increased resilience during the COVID-19 confinement. In addition, the HIIT intervention seemed to be more beneficial to reduce depression than the MIT intervention.

Effect of Real-Time Online High-Intensity Interval Training on Physiological and Physical Parameters for Abdominally Obese Women: A Randomized Pilot Study

“…This is consistent with previous findings that show that high-intensity exercise at 90% HRmax more effectively reduces body fat mass and visceral fat mass, compared with moderate-intensity continuous cycling in obese men and women [26], additionally, HIIT is more effective on protein synthesis and lipid metabolism than MICT [28]. Borrega et al (2021) reported that HIIT is a highly effective and time-efficient weight control strategy for busy people in modern society [30]. Moreover, a combined aerobic and anaerobic training program online was reported to unarguably alleviate metabolic disorders, including diabetes mellitus, and participation in HIIT for 75 min a week…”

The mediating role of resilience in the effects of physical exercise on college students’ negative emotions during the COVID-19 epidemic

“…People with high levels of physical exercise are more likely to develop resilience 49 . Further, individuals who maintained regular physical exercise during confinement reported significantly high levels of resilience 50 , 51 . Consequently, physical exercise could alleviate anxiety and depression by improving the level of resilience among college students during the COVID-19 epidemic.…”

The Mediating Role of Resilience and Extraversion on Psychological Distress and Loneliness Among the General Population of Tyrol, Austria Between the First and the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Our findings suggest that resilience-fostering measures could help to decrease psychological distress and loneliness. Thus, targeted interventions such as resilience training focussing on mindfulness and cognitive behavioral skills ( 87 ) as well as physical exercise ( 88 ) with a focus on outdoor activity could be recommended. Other measures such as reactivating the social network, e.g., through social media ( 89 ), or more frequent phone calls to family members and other related people could increase positive feelings and decrease the level of worry, possibly leading to higher resilience and subsequently to lower psychological distress and loneliness.…”