A systematic review of the impact of physical activity on elderly mental health

Abstract

A systematic review of the impact of physical activity on elderly mental healthAccording to statistics from Basic Health Research, the aging process in the elderly frequently results in an increase in morbidity and mortality, which affects the elderly's mental health in this scenario and lowers their quality of life. [1]The mental health of the elderly declines, particularly in those who are no longer employed [2] and have trouble doing daily tasks. [3]Degenerative illness, which makes it easy for the elderly to feel tired during activities, [4] and the inability of the family to care for them, who subsequently ended up in a nursing home, are two factors in the transition from being active to passive. [5,6]As a result, they become disinterested, believe they are unworthy, and suffer from insomnia, anxiety, and even melancholy. [7]To ensure the well-being of the elderly, mental health issues must be avoided.Engaging in physical activity is one way to do this.Repetitive body movements are used in physical training in a planned and controlled way to enhance physical fitness, particularly in elderly people with declining bodily function. [8,9]In the meantime, sedentary lifestyles or infrequent exercise can increase the risk of several age-related health issues, including psychological issues, high blood pressure, senile dementia, and joint and muscle discomfort. [10,11]Exercise is one of the alternative therapies that seniors can use because it reduces cortisol or epinephrine and increases norepinephrine, which acts as an antidepressant associated with a decrease in sympathetic nerve and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity, according to the Australian Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines. [12,13]Therefore, adding physical activity to an elderly person's routine is crucial for enhancing Objectives: The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic assessment of the available data about the benefits of physical activity and the appropriate forms of exercise for older adults' mental health.Methods: LILACS, PubMed, SciELO, CINAHL, Scopus, Google Scholar, ProQuest, and ScienceDirect were all searched.Based on PRISMA, the reviewing guideline was selected.The Quality Assessment Tool (QAT) for Quantitative Studies was used to evaluate the methodological quality of each included study.We only included studies with moderate to strong quality.Results: Fourteen studies were eligible for inclusion (six randomized controlled trials and eight pretest-posttest studies).A variety of exercises, including aquatic, aerobic, yoga, and muscle-strengthening ones, have been shown to improve elderly people's physical and mental health.According to QAT, five studies with Cohen's Kappa values of at least 0.80 and 11 high-quality studies with p<0.05 had a significant impact on the mental health of the elderly. Conclusion:This comprehensive study demonstrated how an exercise program benefits elderly people who are both usually healthy and have suffered a variety of symptoms.

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