Abstract
Social isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected lifestyles: from sedentary behaviors to reduced physical activity, from disrupted sleep patterns to altered dietary habits. As a consequence, serious mental and emotional responses have been registered. There was a significant decline in physical and other meaningful activities of daily living, leisure, social activity, and education. In children, collateral effects of the pandemic include inadequate nutrition with a risk of both overweight and underweight, addiction to screens, lack of schooling, and psychosocial difficulties. Older adults are frequently unable to adapt to lockdown measures and suffer from depression and cognitive complaints. Recent studies focusing on changes in lifestyle during the Covid-19 pandemic and consequences on mental health have been identified in PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Embase, and ScienceDirect. All the available literature has been retrospectively reviewed. The results of the present narrative review suggest that mental distress caused by social isolation seems to be linked not only to personality characteristics but also to several lifestyle components (sleep disruption, altered eating habits, reduced physical activity). This review aims to explore major changes in the lifestyle and quality of life and the impact of these changes on mental health, and to inform clinicians and policymakers about elements that may reduce the negative psychological effects of the quarantine period imposed during this worldwide crisis. There is an urgent need for tailored preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic mental health interventions for the general population and for higher risk groups.
Highlights
IntroductionThe COVID-19 infection represents a strong stress stimulus, which has the capacity to induce high levels of perceived risk, fear, and anger, while forced quarantine at home may provoke an experience of boredom and loneliness, eliciting negative mental and behavioral responses in people [1]
Studies focusing on changes in lifestyles during the COVID-19 pandemic and consequences on mental health were identified in PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Embase, and ScienceDirect
It seems that individuals who have been involved in more physical activity and have adopted healthy lifestyle dietary and sleep rules had a better mental health and reached a better physical health status
Summary
The COVID-19 infection represents a strong stress stimulus, which has the capacity to induce high levels of perceived risk, fear, and anger, while forced quarantine at home may provoke an experience of boredom and loneliness, eliciting negative mental and behavioral responses in people [1]. It seems that the more time people remained at home, the more intense the resulting mental, emotional and lifestyle problems [2].
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