research paper on working out

BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT article

Physical fitness and exercise during the covid-19 pandemic: a qualitative enquiry.

• 1 Freelance Researcher and Activist, Jaipur, India
• 2 Department of Psychology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
• 3 Amity Institute of Behavioural and Allied Sciences (AIBAS), Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, India

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought this fast-moving world to a standstill. The impact of this pandemic is massive, and the only strategy to curb the rapid spread of the disease is to follow social distancing. The imposed lockdown, resulting in the closure of business activities, public places, fitness and activity centers, and overall social life, has hampered many aspects of the lives of people including routine fitness activities of fitness freaks, which has resulted in various psychological issues and serious fitness and health concerns. In the present paper, the authors aimed at understanding the unique experiences of fitness freaks during the period of lockdown due to COVID-19. The paper also intended to explore the ways in which alternate exercises and fitness activities at home helped them deal with psychological issues and physical health consequences. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 22 adults who were regularly working out in the gym before the COVID-19 pandemic but stayed at home during the nationwide lockdown. The analysis revealed that during the initial phase of lockdown, the participants had a negative situational perception and a lack of motivation for fitness exercise. They also showed psychological health concerns and overdependence on social media in spending their free time. However, there was a gradual increase in positive self-perception and motivation to overcome their dependence on gym and fitness equipment and to continue fitness exercises at home. Participants also tended to play music as a tool while working out. The regular fitness workout at home during the lockdown greatly helped them to overcome psychological issues and fitness concerns.

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic is a massive global health crisis ( Bavel et al., 2020 ) and rapidly spreading pandemic ( Bentlage et al., 2020 ) of recent times. As compared to the earlier pandemics the world has witnessed, the current COVID-19 pandemic is now on the top of the list in terms of worldwide coverage. This is the first time the whole world is affected simultaneously and struck strongly in a very short span of time. Initially, the death rate due to COVID-19 was around 2%, which has now increased to around 4–6% ( World Health Organization [WHO], 2020 ). The statistics does not look so severe, but the total number of cases and the rate at which these cases are increasing day by day make the situation alarming. Exponential growth in COVID-19 cases has led to the isolation of billions of people and worldwide lockdown. COVID-19 has affected the life of nearly each person around the world. The difference between personal or professional lives has narrowed due to work-from-home instructions, and people’s lives are revolving around these two due to the lockdown. People have also been pondering over a vital concern at home, i.e., the importance of their health and fitness.

Although imposing lockdown or quarantine for the population has been one of the widely used measures across the world to stop the rapid spread of COVID-19, it has severe consequences too. Recent multinational investigations have shown the negative effect of COVID-19 restrictions on social participation, life satisfaction ( Ammar et al., 2020b ), mental well-being, psychosocial and emotional disorders as well as on sleep quality ( Xiao et al., 2020 ), and employment status ( Ammar et al., 2020d ). Announcement of a sudden lockdown of all services and activities, except few essential services, by the authorities has resulted in a radical change in the lifestyle of affected people ( Jiménez-Pavón et al., 2020 ) and has severely impaired their mental health, which has been manifested in the form of increased anxiety, stress, and depression ( Chtourou et al., 2020 ). The sudden changes in people’s lifestyle include, but are not limited to, physical activities and exercise. Ammar et al. (2020a) have reported that COVID-19 home confinement has resulted in a decrease in all levels of physical activities and about 28% increase in daily sitting time as well as increase in unhealthy pattern of food consumption. Similar results are also reported by other researchers ( Ammar et al., 2020c ; de Oliveira Neto et al., 2020 ) as well. Although these abrupt changes have influenced every individual, many people who were regularly following their fitness activities in gyms, or in the ground, or other places before the lockdown have been affected intensely. Closure of fitness centers and public parks has forced people to stay at home, which has disturbed their daily routines and hampered their fitness activities. While compulsion to stay at home for a long period of time poses a challenge to the continuity of physical fitness, the experience of hampered physical activities, restricted social communication, uncertainty, and helplessness leads to the emergence of psychological and physical health issues ( Ammar et al., 2020a , c ). Varshney et al. (2020) have found that psychological problems are occurring in adults while adjusting to the current lifestyle in accordance to the fear of contracting the COVID-19 disease. However, effective coping strategies, psychological resources, and regular physical exercise can be helpful in dealing with such health-related problems during the COVID-19 pandemic ( Chtourou et al., 2020 ).

It is important to note that physical activities (PA) and exercise not only maintain physical and psychological health but also help our body to respond to the negative consequences of several diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory diseases ( Owen et al., 2010 ; Lavie et al., 2019 ; Jiménez-Pavón et al., 2020 ). In a recent review of 31 published studies, Bentlage et al. (2020) concluded that physical inactivity due to current pandemic restrictions is a major public health issue that is a prominent risk factor for decreased life expectancy and many physical health problems ( Jurak et al., 2020 ). Exercise is shown to keep other physical functions (respiratory, circulatory, muscular, nervous, and skeletal systems) intact and supports other systems (endocrine, digestive, immune, or renal systems) that are important in fighting any known or unknown threat to our body ( Lavie et al., 2019 ; Jiménez-Pavón et al., 2020 ).

Regular physical activity, while taking other precautions, is also considered effective in dealing with the health outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic ( Chen et al., 2020 ). Researchers from the University of Virginia Health System ( Yan and Spaulding, 2020 ) suggests that regular exercise might significantly reduce the risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome, which is one of the main causes of death in COVID-19 patients. Exercise and physical activities have important functions for individuals’ psychological well-being as well ( Stathi et al., 2002 ; Lehnert et al., 2012 ). There is sufficient literature to show that exercise can play a vital role in the promotion of positive mental health and well-being (e.g., Mazyarkin et al., 2019 ). However, when health promotion activities such as sports and regular gym exercises are not available in this pandemic situation, it is very difficult for individuals to meet the general WHO guidelines (150 min moderate to mild PA or 75 min intensive PA per week or combination of both) (cf. Bentlage et al., 2020 ). Amidst this pandemic-related restriction (home confinements and closed gyms, parks, and fitness centers), how people cope up and find ways to continue their physical fitness remains an important question.

Rationale for the Present Research

Since the onset of this disease, people have been confined to their homes, which has not only resulted in various psychological health issues but also challenged their physical fitness and health ( Ammar et al., 2020a , b , c , d ; Chtourou et al., 2020 ; Xiao et al., 2020 ). Although this pandemic situation has led to the unexpected cessation of almost all the outside routine activities of all the individuals, it has profoundly hampered the physical activities of fitness freaks (those who regularly go to the gym for their physical fitness), as gyms and other such places have been shut down due to the lockdown. However, studies addressing the issues of fitness freaks, who used to spend a significant amount of time for regular workout in order to maintain their physical fitness, health, and appearance, seem to have found no place so far in the literature in relation to the current pandemic situation. Supposedly, the unique experiences of such people, their health issues, and the ways in which they have dealt with these issues during the COVID-19 pandemic have remained underexplored.

Also, it is well-known that the COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for people to adequately maintain their normal physical activity patterns at home ( Ammar et al., 2020a ). There are plenty of studies that have addressed the impact of COVID-19 on physical activities of the general public ( Ammar et al., 2020a , b , c , d ; Chtourou et al., 2020 ; Xiao et al., 2020 ), demonstrated the significant decrease in physical activities and exercise patterns, and illustrated its ill effects on physical and mental health status. There is also a growing body of literature that suggests strategies to encourage people to be involved in home-based exercises and fitness activities ( Ammar et al., 2020a , b , c , d ; Chtourou et al., 2020 ; de Oliveira Neto et al., 2020 ). However, all these studies were conducted in the earlier phase of the pandemic. There is a lack of studies investigating the way in which people have dealt with the problems arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown/home confinement. In fact, it would be interesting to explore how and to what extent people were able to follow and benefited from the workout at home advices. Therefore, the present research aims at understanding people’s unique experiences during the period of lockdown due to COVID-19 and exploring the ways in which regular exercise engagements helped them deal with the psychological and physical consequences of home confinement.

In order to gain a rich and extensive understanding of experiences into people’s lives during this pandemic and their efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, a qualitative approach was adopted for the study. We used Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to delve into the participants’ perceptions and to provide a close picture of the participants’ unique experiences during the lockdown period.

Participants

A homogeneous sample of 22 participants was selected for this study. The criterion-based purposive sampling technique was used to identify and select the participants. We first contacted the gym owners/trainers and sought their consent to help us in the conduction of this study. Upon consent, we requested them to provide us with the details of their regular gym members who continuously go to the gym and do fitness exercises for at least 6 months prior to the imposed lockdown. Once the list was generated, the prospective participants were then connected by phone, were explained the purpose of the study, and were requested for their consent to participate. Those who consented for their inclusion in the study were then asked some questions based on the pre-decided inclusion and exclusion criteria for the study. On the basis of this information, those participants who met the inclusion criteria (i.e., those who were continuing fitness workout in their home or hostels and were following strict home confinement measures during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown) were further contacted and requested to provide an appointment for a telephone interview.

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria for the Participants

The participants meeting the following criteria were included in the study:

• Individuals aged 18 years or older.

• Individuals with no known history of physical and/or psychological illness.

• Individuals who were doing regular gym workout for the last 6 months or more for at least 45 min daily before COVID-19.

• Individuals who were completely dependent on gym exercise for their physical fitness.

However, individuals meeting the following criteria were not included in the study:

• Individuals who were irregular or occasional gym visitors.

• Individuals who were practicing other physical exercises besides gym workout.

• Individuals with any physical and/or psychological conditions or individuals on any kind of medication.

Table 1 presents the demographic and exercise characteristics of the participants included in this study.

Table 1. Demographic characteristics of the participants.

The purpose, importance, and relevance of the study were explained to the participants, and informed consent was obtained for their participation. All the participants were assured of the confidentiality of their responses and identity. Upon consent, the participants were requested to share their convenient time for a telephone interview. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted to explore the exclusive experiences of the participants with regard to their physical fitness during the lockdown. An interview schedule composed of non-directive, open-ended questions was prepared. There was no fixed order of questions; they were modified and re-modified as per the flow of the conversation with each participant. Some of the main questions prepared for the semi-structured interviews included “What is your perception of this situation we are currently living in?,” “What is your lockdown experience?,” “How frequently you used to go to gym for exercise before the lockdown was imposed?,” “How do you manage exercise at home?,” “What is your exercise schedule now?,” “What changes did you perceive in yourself during this lockdown?,” “How are you coping with this lockdown?,” “Did you experience any psychological issue during this period of time?,” “How do physical exercises help in combating the crisis you are facing?,” “What background aid do you use while exercising at home?,” “What is the need to use such aids while exercising?,” “How does fatigue impact you when you exercise during the lockdown?,” “What is the importance of proper sleep in following a regular schedule of exercise during this lockdown?,” “Do you miss your gym mates?,” “Do you feel you share an identity with your fellow gym mates?,” etc. Additional probing questions were also added as the need occurred during the individual interviews. In addition questions were also asked t o understand the differences between their pre and during COVID-19 lockdown fitness exercise patterns (see Table 2 ). All the interviews were conducted in the native language of the participants in Hindi and English. With due permission from the participants, the interviews were recorded. The interview time duration range was between 20 and 30 min. All the interviews conducted in Hindi were transcribed and then translated in English by the researchers. The translated interviews were then proofread by a native English speaker for correctness and consistency.

Table 2. Pre- and during COVID fitness exercise information of the participants.

Analysis and Results

All the recorded interviews were transcribed. These transcripts were then analyzed using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework to identify the participants’ experiences of lockdown, their alternative choice to continue their fitness routine, and its impact on their health. A stepwise progression method was used to analyze the data. At first, the researchers read the transcripts many times to get a deeper understanding of the experiences as described by the participants. In order to gain as close an understanding of the data as possible, the researchers listened to the audio recordings of the participants while reading the transcribed data.

In the following step, the attempts were made to transform the transcripts into a conceptual framework that was deeply connected to the participant’s original verbatim in order to identify emergent themes (see Table 3 ).

Table 3. Major themes and subthemes that emerged from the interviews indicating participants’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After identifying the emerging themes, the transcripts were read again so as to cluster these emergent themes together according to their similarities at the basic level. In this process, some themes emerged as the broad themes under which subthemes were incorporated. The major themes and subthemes that emerged in the analysis are presented in Table 3 .

Table 3 presents six major themes describing the experiences of participants with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic and their efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The following section discusses each of these themes and its subthemes along with the relevant excerpts from participants’ experiences.

Psychological Health Issues

Almost every participant reported facing psychological health issues linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. Participants experienced frustration, anxiety, fear, and stress. For example, participant 11 reported,

“I am experiencing frustration daily for spending my 24 by 7 time at home, looking at same faces and am not allowed to go anywhere. Anxiety of work and its upcoming scenarios tickle my mind a lot. What if I have to do my job virtually for a lifetime? ………….Like that. And especially experiencing a fear of losing my ever charming personality, the economic status of family, no wages or less wages, fewer opportunities in future, job shift, health care of my family.”

The closure due to the pandemic has created a state of uncertainty about an individual’s own future as well as about the future of the family and community, which in turn is being reflected in terms of psychological states of frustration, anxiety, fear, and stress.

Individuals stuck at their homes without a clearly defined routine and work are not able to prioritize their work schedules, resulting in the experience of unexplained laziness and fatigue. Participant 7, for example, reports that

“Physical fatigue has reduced as there is no physical load or fixed working hours, but the mental fatigue and mental pressure has increased manifolds. Worries have increased. Spare time is more than what was required and due to this lethargy has increased. Frustration level is going up.”

The monotonous and closed life cycle of one confined to one’s own home has also resulted in extreme disturbances of one’s sleep cycle. For example, Participant 5 reports,

“Sleep a lot, a lot!! Just imagine I have been sleeping 10 to 12 hours after the lockdown. My sleep pattern was set earlier due to office, but it is disturbed now in the absence of a routine. I have virtual meetings now also, but if the meeting is to start at 10, I would get up at 9.40, wash my face and attend the meeting. After that I feel like taking a nap again. I sleep for 8 hours wake up and exercise in the morning, but I have the liberty to be flexible with my time. seriously I am craving for gyms to open, my trainer to keep a check on me, scold me, I really want complete sleep and a routine.”

It is therefore evident from these examples that the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the experience of psychological problems characterized by frustration, anxiety, fear, and stress. The sleep–wake cycle is interrupted, leading to a state of laziness and mental fatigue.

Lack of Motivation for Fitness

The closure of gyms and other fitness activity centers, including sports stadiums, morning walk parks, etc., and the heightened psychological health issues have resulted in the lack of fitness motivation. For example, participant 1 reports,

“See, ultimately due to the shutdown of gym during this pandemic, my rhythm has been disturbed, you are getting it? I have had a tight schedule always due to my profession but each evening I used to hit the gym daily…………. I mean, that zeal is gone, ……….now also I am getting time in the evening but then also I am unable to ask myself to work out because that gym environment is gone, the gym people as you would see other fellows at gym, that would motivate you, their body gives you an inspiration that how he or she is that fit, they motivate you, here I share an identity with them, I find those people as source of my motivation to physical exercise, those people give you so much morale and now that is lost totally, I literally crave for that.”

The motivation for fitness is not only internal but also external. People are motivated when they observe others doing fitness activities. Gym mates and their physique work as motivating factors for individuals to engage in a regular and routine gym activity. Participant 10 said in frustration that,

“Almost all gone, ………….the motivation is the most ruined thing today, ……….talking about my workout, I have been hitting the gym since I was 22………, Imagine how much that space motivated me, I miss that, my pals there……., not because we are friends or something, see gym doesn’t provide you an environment to make pals or something as people change their gyms and many a thing but, they give you a lot of competition, you become jealous of their appearance and later that workout that space becomes your habit, I miss that, say like anything, but still I am trying.”

It is evident from the above statement that a lack of motivation for fitness was due to the home confinement and lack of presence of others. The presence of others engaged in a similar activity not only creates a sense of shared identity but also is a source of healthy competition and thus motivation.

Change of Perception

As the days progressed, individuals learned to respond to the pandemic in a more constructive and positive manner. Their perception for the situation remained the same (negative), but their perception toward themselves started to change. They started believing that even though they could not change the situation, they could do the same for their own self to deal with the situation. Participant 2, for example, commented on the situation and said,

“Ah! Talking about the situation we are living in, it is so unprecedented, anything can happen anytime, though I am less stressed as compared to the date the lockdown was announced, I perceive this whole situation is so terrible, worst… what is this happening, you just tell me, wake up in fear and sleep in fear. I wonder when this is going to end.”

However, upon asking about her/his own self, s/he added

“You know this COVID has done only one thing right, that is, you know giving me immense time to work on myself, which otherwise I always overlooked. Though I went to gym for my physique only but never gave time to my thoughts, skills, etc. So when talking about changes in myself or perception of self, I would say changes come under three categories in me- first physical, that is appearance, personal, like I will quote enjoying every bit of time. Who knows I am next. I now celebrate life, and finally social changes in myself, as I have got time to work on my communication skills, talking on virtual platforms and sense of oneness or say unity, as I am locked down in hostel and we guys do every deed and task on our own without family, standing together.”

Similarly participant 22 summarized the situation as

“(Laughing), Seriously! The Virus is making a joke on us, truly this is the worst of situations I can ever imagine, I am so negative about the situation we are in, I am in… everyone in….you know how stressful it is for me to know that I am unable to practise. You know as a clinician how hard it is to be like this. Though I am still a student but think likewise, harsh situation madam, extra precautions for everything, negative, too much negative. This time would be a memorable time for generations; sorry my tone has become louder I am kind of in agony, all credits to this so called CORONA.”

S/he, however, further commented that

“my experience throughout the past few months in this Corona Era is so negative but myself-perception or I would say how I am taking myself now from earlier has meaningfully changed now. You know, I am someone who is giving time to myself, exploring my hobbies, giving time to leisure, learning kitchen skills, learning new dishes, becoming a chef besides being a dentist you know. So, for me, myself, I am so positive with regards to myself.”

It is therefore evident that increased experiences with an initial unfamiliar situation initiate the coping mechanisms within an individual, which is reflected in the changed perception of their own self, and reappraisal of the situation in a more positive manner.

Shifting Focus on Substitutes of Gym Workout and Equipment

With the positive change in perception, individuals started to think about their normal routine and tried to find ways to substitute their normal activities. They started trying to shift their exercises from gym to other available places and using alternatives to gym equipment for their fitness activities. The statement of participant 20 indicated how shifting from gym-based exercises to yoga practices was an effective alternative for coping with the habitual compulsion for gym exercises.

“Since I get a pace back again for my physical fitness in this lockdown, I have made a shift to yoga, especially the power yoga in the morning time. I prefer doing meditation as well. Earlier I never used to practise the same but now I have seen videos of some asanas good for health, I am following them and practising them. It’s a shift for peace I guess. I tried something new and found my gym addiction could be controlled or moderated by taking out time for yoga and meditation even after COVID.”

Similarly, participant 17 reported her/his shift to high-intensity workouts at home.

“See, as you might know not everyone has exercise equipment at home which we used to have in gym. So, I prefer those exercises which require less or zero weights say jumping jacks, skipping.”

After resuming motivation, in order to stay physically active and fit, participants actively engaged in the process of finding alternatives to their routine physical exercise equipment. Participant 14 reported shifting to alternatives to heavy weights

“I personally was too much dependent on equipment to exercise in the gym. Now there is no option left because even online, the 5 and 10 kg weights are out of stock, And, nearby stores are either closed or you can’t go out. So, for me it was tough but I searched the internet, the social media, talked to fitness experts and used some ‘JUGAAD’ at home. So, they are using buckets, big water bottles and skipping ropes. I had 10 kg iron rods of water pipeline spare at my home, I am using that and these are helpful and I guess need of the hour.”

Social Media Dependence

One of the major shifts in the individuals’ lives during this pandemic was the increased social media dependence. As a result of social distancing, people were spending more time online to virtually connect with others and stream entertainment. In the backdrop, the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in the time spent on social media that helped people kill time. Participant 12 reported the benefits as well as the drawbacks of this social media dependence.

“Social-media is a mixed feeling platform. I mean at one hand it keeps me updated with the happening around; the facilities promised by the government; and… it keeps me connected with the world. But on the other, it irritates me a lot, a lot of misinformation creates a worry in you. So yes, there is a dual objective of this social media.”

However, participant 4 viewed this increased dependence on social media as an effective strategy to break the silence and to overcome the monotonous days.

“Our life has given us so much time ……., I mean I have so much spare time but besides that, I have a monotonous schedule every day, so social media keeps me busy, for example, web series suggestion and reviews, movies suggestion and reviews, video games, etc. Also, on the one hand, I do not get bored as one day I am learning some planting technique at home through media, the other day something to cook, some family or friend sharing his/her recipe, hobby ideas, craft ideas, writing, etc. Physical workout schedule helps me a lot. I am doing one thing useful at a time, and that keeps me busy.”

Similarly, participant 3 reported that

“Definitely social media has impacted my sitting schedule as I am just sitting for a long span of time, say while eating or talking to family. I am sitting scrolling YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, one post after the other. It has become my habit now. I feel like I will only watch a single video or only this news but I end up spending 1 to 2 hours scrolling and watching. Seriously, it’s a habit now, but I am glad that workout is something I do in my schedule, which is so productive, and I really feel good about myself because of the physical fitness.”

However, participant 21 pointed out the experience of lack of emotional attachment, sympathy, and support resulting from the content consistently served by social media.

“Social media is full of content which reveal crime stories, life matters, relationships, suicides, etc. at a large scale. So many movie clips, videos, web series show a lot of crime, aggression or say anything on that. So, I feel now-a-days emotionally detached to any relationship, friendship or even to my family. If I receive their call, I would say yes okay fine, no further interest in how they are dealing or what they are experiencing. And if they ask I would say, so what, I am not a kid anymore. I lead my life you lead yours, definitely social media is making me someone I never used to be. In fact, my sister has become the same, though she is living with the family under the same roof. Earlier I was so sensitive to any suicide or crime. If I heard of that I would cry or be sad. I used to feel the pain of the victim. Now, I hear a story for real and I am like, yeah part of life, or you pay for deeds like that. No sympathy left I guess, so detached.”

However, what was more important was that social media was seen to be helping individuals in maintaining their daily fitness routines by providing them alternative fitness tools and techniques, the virtual company of other fitness freaks, and by helping them back, influencing others and getting influenced by others. Participant 6 reported that

“Social media has lots of side effects, but a good effect of it now-a-days for a gym freak like me is that social media provides videos of trainers, and other freaks working out at home or hostels. I can know now virtually how to maintain a schedule. They are sharing their experience, they are influencing me a lot, I am trying my best, and workout is helping me a lot.”

Favorable Attitude Toward Music as a Tool

Many participants also reported the use of music as an aid while exercising. Participant 7 reported that

“I have two schedules of exercise. If working out in the morning, I prefer soothing music, like that of birds chirping, or instrumental jazz. And if I am exercising in evening, I want to listen to EDM, that is electronic dance music, I have made a playlist of computerised music and listen to that in evening. I prefer music because it takes you to another world, which is needed the most now (exclaimed!) It creates an environment like that of a gym in my head, or say, I imagine I am in the gym, as I cut off all the surrounding voices.”

Similarly, participant 9 reported that

“I just love to have old-country music while I am exercising. It is a kind of genre of songs, the old country one, and sometimes I love random numbers of songs. It is needed because you can say it lets me focus, helps me to calm down. Also, when I am locked at home, it actually provides me a world free of distractions, just my own world, where there is no corona. Music is ultimate fun. If there is no music available I will not workout, because workout makes me happy and I really want to exercise effectively and enjoy it too.”

It is, therefore, evident that music is an important supporting tool that helps individuals relax and enjoy their original routine even when they are working out at home. Music is a powerful tool that recreates the same environment that participants used to have during their gym exercise times.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought major upheaval in the life of every individual across the globe. It has hampered the day-to-day activities of almost all individuals including those who depend on gyms for their physical fitness routine. The present study was conducted with individuals for whom going to the gym was a routine activity so as to explore their experiences in terms of their perceptions of the pandemic situation and their ways of coping with COVID-19-induced uncertainties and health issues.

The findings of this study not only are consistent with a range of studies that have reported psychological health issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown ( Hawryluck et al., 2004 ; Ammar et al., 2020a , b , c , d ; Chtourou et al., 2020 ; de Oliveira Neto et al., 2020 ; Shigemura et al., 2020 ; Varshney et al., 2020 ) but also go beyond those to suggest that, with time, individuals learn to adopt to situations in healthy and positive ways. Participants reported experiencing a significant change in their sleeping pattern, unexplained laziness, and mental fatigue, and having a general feeling of fear, anxiety, stress, and frustration due to home confinement, which impacted their motivation to find alternate ways to continue fitness exercises.

Other factors found responsible for the lack of fitness motivation were the absence of gym partners and the lack of gym environment, which were also considered as potential sources of gym motivation in earlier studies ( Sonstroem and Morgan, 1989 ; Sonstroem and Harlow, 1994 ; McAuley et al., 2000 ; Fox, 2003 ; Tamur, 2014 ). It is important to note that, being a social entity, people like the company of others and feel connected to each other. This feeling of connectedness is found to be associated with various psychological constructs such as persistence, motivation, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and physical as well as psychological health ( Scully et al., 1998 ; Proctor et al., 2011 ; Haslam et al., 2015 ; Begun et al., 2018 ). The absence of this feeling of connectedness that people were used to experiencing in a gym environment probably was one of the reasons for the lack of motivation for home exercise.

The findings of the study also indicated that although the participants’ perception of the pandemic situation was negative initially, their self-perception gradually improved toward a positive one, as they realized that they had enough time to look after themselves. Rauthmann et al. (2015) reported that environment and behavior, if different from the usual, lead to a negative situational perception. However, with an increase in time available to devote to oneself, perceptions change in a positive direction ( Karagiannidis et al., 2015 ). Such a change in perception is likely to promote the process of self-approval and find effective ways to deal with the current situation.

In the present study, a shift from the gym workout and fitness equipment toward substitutes is clearly visible during the latter part of the lockdown. After the initial confusion and passive wait for things to normalize, participants accepted the reality and started thinking about alternatives to exercises related to heavy gym equipment. Some of the alternatives listed by them included switching to yoga and meditation ( National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, 2020 ), high-intensity workout at home, and lifting heavy buckets, big water bottles, and skipping. All these alternative arrangements not only helped individuals maintain their daily exercise routine but also contributed to their physical and mental health ( Jiménez-Pavón et al., 2020 ; Nicol et al., 2020 ). In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine had recommended 150–300 min of aerobic exercise per week and two sessions per week of moderate-intensity muscle strength exercises for people to be physically active during the COVID-19 pandemic ( Joy, 2020 ).

The mixed impact of social media usage and listening to music during exercise was also observed in this study. Results clearly indicate that participants found social media to be an effective medium to keep themselves up to date about the pandemic situation and to overcome the monotony of home confinement. Apart from this, participants also experienced a lack of emotional attachment, as face-to-face interaction during the said period was missing. This encouraged participants to use social media to get connected to people as well as to witness their regular activities, which they were missing otherwise. Several studies in the past have argued that social support boosts motivation for training and can increase up to 35% more adherence to a physical exercise program ( Rhodes et al., 2001 ) and that it can be an additional strategy to make exercise events more interactive and less dissociated from afferent body responses (heart rate, breathing), which in turn results in more positive training experience ( Kravitz and Furst, 1991 ; Pridgeon and Grogan, 2012 ).

Social media was also used as a platform to know about virtual fitness techniques and opportunities for online training for physical exercise. Ammar et al. (2020d) demonstrated 15% higher use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) during the COVID-19 confinement duration, which indicates higher use of social media and app use for home-based fitness activities ( Tate et al., 2015 ; Ammar et al., 2020a ).

Furthermore, participants also found that listening to music was an effective aid to keep themselves engaged as they exercised. This also supports the finding that music helps people to continue their fitness workout for a significantly longer period of time ( Thakare et al., 2017 ). A series of studies have shown that music creates an ergogenic effect during physical and cognitive performance and is linked to heightened motivation and engagement and lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression ( Chtourou et al., 2015 ). In their recent meta-analytic review Terry et al. (2020) have concluded that listening to music during physical activity boosts positive affective valence and results in improved physical engagement and enhanced physiological responses. It is therefore clearly evident that listening to music while doing physical exercise during the current pandemic has enabled people to focus on the exercise without any distraction from the home setting and has enabled them to create their own world, where there is no COVID-19.

To conclude, the findings of the study indicate that the perceptions and social media habits of fitness freaks, who were hitting gyms for a regular workout before the lockdown, were greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. They also experienced psychological health issues during the initial phase of the pandemic. However, they gradually changed their dependence on gym-based workout and switched to alternative exercises that helped them greatly to restore their mental and physical health.

Implications and Future Suggestions

The present study shows that despite the initial experience of anxiety and fear and the lack of motivation to engage in physical exercise at home, fitness freaks were able to shift to home exercises and were greatly supported by social media uses and listening to music. One could argue that this study only included fitness freaks who find it difficult to detach themselves from physical activities for a long time, and this was probably the reason for their shift to home-based exercises. However, there is no doubt that the findings of this study have demonstrated that if performed regularly, physical exercise has the potential to mitigate the ill physical as well as psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of this study, therefore, could be extended to the common public to also persuade them to engage in physical fitness exercises, which would result not only in a better physical health but also in an enhanced psychological health and well-being. The findings of this study strengthen the recommendations made by researchers and organizations (for details see Chtourou et al., 2020 ; World Health Organization [WHO], 2020 ) to engage in home-based exercises (including, but not limited to, aerobic activities, balance and flexibility exercises, and muscular strength and endurance training) for about 150–180 min per week; to use social media, music, and/or similar techniques to increase adherence to physical exercises; and to practice dancing and yoga to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and even improve the quality of sleep ( Chennaoui et al., 2015 ; Chtourou et al., 2015 ). It is also noted that one should start physical exercise and its alternatives in a progressive manner and must adhere to his/her fitness levels for choosing the amount and intensity of these exercises.

Data Availability Statement

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation, to any qualified researcher.

Ethics Statement

All procedures followed in this study were in accordance with the APA’s ethical standards and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1964 and its later amendments. The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study.

Author Contributions

HK, TS, and YA conceptualized the study. HK and TS prepared study protocols. HK collected data, conducted initial data analysis, and wrote the first draft. TS, SM, and YA finalized data analysis, reviewed, and commented on the draft manuscript. HK, TS, SM, and YA contributed to the preparation of the final draft. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Keywords : COVID-19, physical fitness, exercise, lockdown, gym workout

Citation: Kaur H, Singh T, Arya YK and Mittal S (2020) Physical Fitness and Exercise During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Enquiry. Front. Psychol. 11:590172. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.590172

Received: 31 July 2020; Accepted: 06 October 2020; Published: 29 October 2020.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2020 Kaur, Singh, Arya and Mittal. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Tushar Singh, [email protected]

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

• Exercise & Fitness

This Is the Best Time of Day to Work Out, According to Science

F inding time to exercise can be challenging, and the most important thing is to squeeze in any amount of it whenever you can. But if you want to optimize your workouts to get the widest range of benefits, you might want to try exercising in the morning.

Here’s what the science says about the best time of day to exercise—and what to expect if you opt for later workouts.

Morning workouts have an edge

Working out in the morning—especially on an empty stomach —is the best way to burn stored fat, making it ideal for weight loss. That’s largely because the body’s hormonal composition in the morning is set up to support that goal, says Anthony Hackney, a professor in the department of exercise and sport science at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

“In the early morning hours, you have a hormonal profile that would predispose you to better metabolism of fat,” Hackney says. People naturally have elevated levels of cortisol and growth hormone in the morning—both of which are involved in metabolism—so you’ll “draw more of your energy from your fat reserves,” Hackney says. That can potentially help with weight loss. Research also suggests that morning exercisers may have less of an appetite throughout the day, which could also help protect them from putting on pounds.

Even if you hate early alarms, working out first thing in the morning can quickly become second nature. A study in the Journal of Physiology found that exercising at 7 a.m. may shift your body clock earlier, meaning you’ll feel more alert in the morning and get tired earlier in the evening, potentially priming you to get enough rest to wake up and do the same thing the next day. Some research even suggests that it’s easier to stick to healthy habits completed in the morning.

A morning sweat may also lead to better mental health and productivity throughout the day, since exercise is great for reducing stress .

But if you’re really not a morning person , don’t force it. “You may be exercising, but it may be at such a low intensity level that you’re really not expending a lot of energy,” Hackney says.

Afternoon workouts are almost as good

If you can swing a lunchtime workout, Hackney says that’s not a bad second choice—especially if you’re trying to do a very long or rigorous routine.

Morning workouts are ideal for burning fat and losing weight, but afternoon workouts may give your performance a boost, since you’ll have eaten a meal or two by the time you get going. “Any time you eat, your blood sugar levels rise,” Hackney says. “Sugar in the form of blood glucose…is one of the things we need if we’re trying to work at a higher intensity.”

An afternoon workout can also be a great way to avoid an end-of-the-day slump. The Journal of Physiology study found that exercising between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. can shift forward your body clock in the same way as an early morning workout. Even taking a quick walk may help you perk up and refocus.

One study found that your body naturally burns about 10% more calories in the late afternoon, compared to the early morning and late night. The researchers looked at bodies at rest—so they can’t draw firm conclusions about what happens when people work out—but it’s possible that you could burn a little extra energy if you move in the afternoon.

Nighttime workouts still come with perks

For many people, exercising is most convenient after work. But there’s a common belief that evening exercise perks you up so much that it’s difficult to fall asleep later.

While the Journal of Physiology study found that exercising between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. delays the body clock, translating to later bedtimes, Hackney says he’s not convinced that’s the case. “Evidence suggests that, as long as you’re not exercising, showering and then [immediately] jumping in bed to go to sleep, it doesn’t interfere with your sleep pattern at all,” he says. A stress-relieving activity like yoga may even help you sleep better if it’s done at night, he adds.

And while the research about morning workouts and weight loss is more established, some evidence suggests that nighttime workouts can also set people up for weight loss. A paper published in the journal Experimental Physiology found that nighttime workouts do not disrupt sleep, and over time can also reduce levels of the hunger-stimulating hormone ghrelin, which could help with weight loss or management.

The bottom line

If he had to pick a best time to exercise, morning would win, Hackney says. Early workouts make the most of your biology and psychology, potentially leading to better results and adherence over time. But there’s really no bad time to exercise, Hackney reiterates, and the most important thing is finding the time to do so, whenever works for you.

“If you will do it in the morning, do it. If you will do it in the evening, do it,” Hackney says. “If your physiology is not going to match up with your behavior, then it’s a moot point.”

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What are the mental health benefits of exercise?

Other mental health benefits of exercise, reaping the mental health benefits of exercise is easier than you think, overcoming obstacles to exercise, getting started with exercise when you have a mental health issue.

• Easy ways to move more that don't involve the gym

The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise

You already know that exercise is good for your body. But did you know it can also boost your mood, improve your sleep, and help you deal with depression, anxiety, stress, and more?

Exercise is not just about aerobic capacity and muscle size. Sure, exercise can improve your physical health and your physique, trim your waistline, improve your sex life, and even add years to your life. But that’s not what motivates most people to stay active.

People who exercise regularly tend to do so because it gives them an enormous sense of well-being. They feel more energetic throughout the day, sleep better at night, have sharper memories, and feel more relaxed and positive about themselves and their lives. And it’s also a powerful medicine for many common mental health challenges.

Regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, and ADHD. It also relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts your overall mood. And you don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the benefits. Research indicates that modest amounts of exercise can make a real difference. No matter your age or fitness level, you can learn to use exercise as a powerful tool to deal with mental health problems, improve your energy and outlook, and get more out of life.

Exercise and depression

Studies show that exercise can treat mild to moderate depression as effectively as antidepressant medication—but without the side-effects, of course. As one example, a recent study done by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that running for 15 minutes a day or walking for an hour reduces the risk of major depression by 26%. In addition to relieving depression symptoms , research also shows that maintaining an exercise schedule can prevent you from relapsing.

Exercise is a powerful depression fighter for several reasons. Most importantly, it promotes all kinds of changes in the brain, including neural growth, reduced inflammation, and new activity patterns that promote feelings of calm and well-being. It also releases endorphins, powerful chemicals in your brain that energize your spirits and make you feel good. Finally, exercise can also serve as a distraction, allowing you to find some quiet time to break out of the cycle of negative thoughts that feed depression.

Exercise and anxiety

Exercise is a natural and effective anti-anxiety treatment . It relieves tension and stress, boosts physical and mental energy, and enhances well-being through the release of endorphins. Anything that gets you moving can help, but you’ll get a bigger benefit if you pay attention instead of zoning out.

Try to notice the sensation of your feet hitting the ground, for example, or the rhythm of your breathing, or the feeling of the wind on your skin. By adding this mindfulness element—really focusing on your body and how it feels as you exercise—you’ll not only improve your physical condition faster, but you may also be able to interrupt the flow of constant worries running through your head.

Exercise and stress

Ever noticed how your body feels when you’re under stress ? Your muscles may be tense, especially in your face, neck, and shoulders, leaving you with back or neck pain, or painful headaches. You may feel a tightness in your chest, a pounding pulse, or muscle cramps. You may also experience problems such as insomnia, heartburn, stomachache, diarrhea, or frequent urination. The worry and discomfort of all these physical symptoms can in turn lead to even more stress, creating a vicious cycle between your mind and body.

Exercising is an effective way to break this cycle. As well as releasing endorphins in the brain, physical activity helps to relax the muscles and relieve tension in the body. Since the body and mind are so closely linked, when your body feels better so, too, will your mind.

Exercise and ADHD

Exercising regularly is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce the symptoms of ADHD and improve concentration, motivation, memory, and mood. Physical activity immediately boosts the brain’s dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin levels—all of which affect focus and attention. In this way, exercise works in much the same way as ADHD medications such as Ritalin and Adderall.

Exercise and PTSD and trauma

Evidence suggests that by really focusing on your body and how it feels as you exercise, you can actually help your nervous system become “unstuck” and begin to move out of the immobilization stress response that characterizes PTSD or trauma. Instead of allowing your mind to wander, pay close attention to the physical sensations in your joints and muscles, even your insides as your body moves. Exercises that involve cross movement and that engage both arms and legs—such as walking (especially in sand), running, swimming, weight training, or dancing—are some of your best choices.

Outdoor activities like hiking, sailing, mountain biking, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and skiing (downhill and cross-country) have also been shown to reduce the symptoms of PTSD.

Speak to a Licensed Therapist

BetterHelp is an online therapy service that matches you to licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, relationships, and more. Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours.

Even if you’re not suffering from a mental health problem, regular physical activity can still offer a welcome boost to your mood, outlook, and mental well-being.

Exercise can help provide:

Sharper memory and thinking. The same endorphins that make you feel better also help you concentrate and feel mentally sharp for tasks at hand. Exercise also stimulates the growth of new brain cells and helps prevent age-related decline .

Higher self-esteem. Regular activity is an investment in your mind, body, and soul. When it becomes habit, it can foster your sense of self-worth and make you feel strong and powerful. You’ll feel better about your appearance and, by meeting even small exercise goals, you’ll feel a sense of achievement.

Better sleep. Even short bursts of exercise in the morning or afternoon can help regulate your sleep patterns . If you prefer to exercise at night, relaxing exercises such as yoga or gentle stretching can help promote sleep.

More energy. Increasing your heart rate several times a week will give you more get-up-and-go. Start off with just a few minutes of exercise per day, and increase your workout as you feel more energized.

Stronger resilience. When faced with mental or emotional challenges in life, exercise can help you build resilience and cope in a healthy way, instead of resorting to alcohol, drugs, or other negative behaviors that ultimately only make your symptoms worse. Regular exercise can also help boost your immune system and reduce the impact of stress.

You don’t need to devote hours out of your busy day to train at the gym, sweat buckets, or run mile after monotonous mile to reap all the physical and mental health benefits of exercise. Just 30-minutes of moderate exercise five times a week is enough. And even that can be broken down into two 15-minute or even three 10-minute exercise sessions if that’s easier.

Even a little bit of activity is better than nothing

If you don’t have time for 15 or 30 minutes of exercise, or if your body tells you to take a break after 5 or 10 minutes, for example, that’s okay, too. Start with 5- or 10-minute sessions and slowly increase your time. The more you exercise, the more energy you’ll have, so eventually you’ll feel ready for a little more. The key is to commit to some moderate physical activity—however little—on most days. As exercising becomes a habit, you can slowly add extra minutes or try different types of activities. If you keep at it, the benefits of exercise will begin to pay off.

You don’t have to suffer to get results

Research shows that moderate levels of exercise are best for most people . Moderate means:

• That you breathe a little heavier than normal, but are not out of breath. For example, you should be able to chat with your walking partner, but not easily sing a song.
• That your body feels warmer as you move, but not overheated or very sweaty.

Can’t find time to exercise during the week? Be a weekend warrior

A recent study in the United Kingdom found that people who squeeze their exercise routines into one or two sessions during the weekend experience almost as many health benefits as those who work out more often. So don’t let a busy schedule at work, home, or school be an excuse to avoid activity. Get moving whenever you can find the time—your mind and body will thank you!

Even when you know that exercise will help you feel better, taking that first step is still easier said than done. Obstacles to exercising are very real—particularly when you’re also struggling with a mental health issue.

Here are some common barriers and how you can get past them.

Feeling exhausted. When you’re tired, depressed, or stressed, it seems that working out will just make you feel worse. But the truth is that physical activity is a powerful energizer. Studies show that regular exercise can dramatically reduce fatigue and increase your energy levels. If you are really feeling tired, promise yourself a quick, 5-minute walk. Chances are, once you get moving you’ll have more energy and be able to walk for longer.

Feeling overwhelmed. When you’re stressed or depressed, the thought of adding another obligation to your busy daily schedule can seem overwhelming. Working out just doesn’t seem practical. If you have children, finding childcare while you exercise can also be a big hurdle. However, if you begin thinking of physical activity as a priority (a necessity for your mental well-being), you’ll soon find ways to fit small amounts of exercise into even the busiest schedule.

Feeling hopeless. Even if you’ve never exercised before, you can still find ways to comfortably get active. Start slow with easy, low-impact activities a few minutes each day, such as walking or dancing.

Feeling bad about yourself. Are you your own worst critic? It’s time to try a new way of thinking about your body. No matter your weight, age or fitness level, there are plenty of others in the same boat. Ask a friend to exercise with you. Accomplishing even the smallest fitness goals will help you gain body confidence and improve how you think about yourself.

Feeling pain. If you have a disability, severe weight problem, arthritis, or any injury or illness that limits your mobility, talk to your doctor about ways to safely exercise . You shouldn’t ignore pain, but rather do what you can, when you can. Divide your exercise into shorter, more frequent chunks of time if that helps, or try exercising in water to reduce joint or muscle discomfort.

Many of us find it hard enough to motivate ourselves to exercise at the best of times. But when you feel depressed, anxious, stressed or have another mental health problem, it can seem doubly difficult. This is especially true of depression and anxiety, which can leave you feeling trapped in a catch-22 situation. You know exercise will make you feel better, but depression has robbed you of the energy and motivation you need to work out, or your social anxiety means you can’t bear the thought of being seen at an exercise class or running through the park.

Start small. When you’re under the cloud of anxiety or depression and haven’t exercised for a long time, setting extravagant goals like completing a marathon or working out for an hour every morning will only leave you more despondent if you fall short. Better to set achievable goals and build up from there.

Schedule workouts when your energy is highest. Perhaps you have most energy first thing in the morning before work or school or at lunchtime before the mid-afternoon lull hits? Or maybe you do better exercising for longer at the weekends. If depression or anxiety has you feeling tired and unmotivated all day long, try dancing to some music or simply going for a walk. Even a short, 15-minute walk can help clear your mind, improve your mood, and boost your energy level. As you move and start to feel a little better, you’ll often boost your energy enough to exercise more vigorously—by walking further, breaking into a run, or adding a bike ride, for example.

Focus on activities you enjoy. Any activity that gets you moving counts. That could include throwing a Frisbee with a dog or friend, walking laps of a mall window shopping, or cycling to the grocery store. If you’ve never exercised before or don’t know what you might enjoy, try a few different things. Activities such as gardening or tackling a home improvement project can be great ways to start moving more when you have a mood disorder—as well as helping you become more active, they can also leave you with a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

Be comfortable. Wear clothing that’s comfortable and choose a setting that you find calming or energizing. That may be a quiet corner of your home, a scenic path, or your favorite city park.

Reward yourself. Part of the reward of completing an activity is how much better you’ll feel afterwards, but it always helps your motivation to promise yourself an extra treat for exercising. Reward yourself with a hot bubble bath after a workout, a delicious smoothie, or with an extra episode of your favorite TV show, for example.

Make exercise a social activity. Exercising with a friend or loved one, or even your kids, will not only make exercising more fun and enjoyable, it can also help motivate you to stick to a workout routine. You’ll also feel better than if you were exercising alone. In fact, when you’re suffering from a mood disorder such as depression, the companionship can be just as important as the exercise.

Easy ways to move more that don’t involve the gym

Don’t have a 30-minute block of time to dedicate to yoga or a bike ride? Don’t worry. Think about physical activity as a lifestyle rather than just a single task to check off your to-do list. Look at your daily routine and consider ways to sneak in activity here, there, and everywhere.

Move in and around your home. Clean the house, wash the car, tend to the yard and garden, mow the lawn with a push mower, sweep the sidewalk or patio with a broom.

Sneak activity in at work or on the go. Bike or walk to an appointment rather than drive, use stairs instead of elevators, briskly walk to the bus stop then get off one stop early, park at the back of the lot and walk into the store or office, or take a vigorous walk during your coffee break.

Get active with the family. Jog around the soccer field during your kid’s practice, make a neighborhood bike ride part of your weekend routine, play tag with your children in the yard, go canoeing at a lake, walk the dog in a new place.

Get creative with exercise ideas. Pick fruit at an orchard, boogie to music, go to the beach or take a hike, gently stretch while watching television, organize an office bowling team, take a class in martial arts, dance, or yoga.

Make exercise a fun part of your everyday life

You don’t have to spend hours in a gym or force yourself into long, monotonous workouts to experience the many benefits of exercise. These tips can help you find activities you enjoy and start to feel better, look better, and get more out of life.

More Information

• Greer, T. L., Trombello, J. M., Rethorst, C. D., Carmody, T. J., Jha, M. K., Liao, A., Grannemann, B. D., Chambliss, H. O., Church, T. S., & Trivedi, M. H. (2016). Improvements in psychosocial functioning and health-related quality of life following exercise augmentation in patients with treatment response but non-remitted major depressive disorder: Results from the TREAD study. Depression and Anxiety, 33(9), 870–881. Link
• Kandola, A., Vancampfort, D., Herring, M., Rebar, A., Hallgren, M., Firth, J., & Stubbs, B. (2018). Moving to Beat Anxiety: Epidemiology and Therapeutic Issues with Physical Activity for Anxiety. Current Psychiatry Reports, 20(8), 63. Link
• Aylett, E., Small, N., & Bower, P. (2018). Exercise in the treatment of clinical anxiety in general practice – a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Health Services Research, 18(1), 559. Link
• Stubbs, B., Vancampfort, D., Rosenbaum, S., Firth, J., Cosco, T., Veronese, N., Salum, G. A., & Schuch, F. B. (2017). An examination of the anxiolytic effects of exercise for people with anxiety and stress-related disorders: A meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research, 249, 102–108. Link
• Kandola, A. A., Osborn, D. P. J., Stubbs, B., Choi, K. W., & Hayes, J. F. (2020). Individual and combined associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and grip strength with common mental disorders: A prospective cohort study in the UK Biobank. BMC Medicine, 18(1), 303. Link

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How Burnout Became Normal — and How to Push Back Against It

• Kandi Wiens

Seven strategies to get back to a healthy baseline.

Slowly but steadily, while we’ve been preoccupied with trying to meet demands that outstrip our resources, grappling with unfair treatment, or watching our working hours encroach upon our downtime, burnout has become the new baseline in many work environments. From the 40% of Gen Z workers who believe burnout is an inevitable part of success, to executives who believe high-pressure, “trial-by-fire” assignments are a required rite of passage, to toxic hustle culture that pushes busyness as a badge of honor, too many of us now expect to feel overwhelmed, over-stressed, and eventually burned out at work. When pressures are mounting and your work environment continues to be stressful, it’s all the more important to take proactive steps to return to your personal sweet spot of stress and remain there as long as you can. The author presents several strategies.

If we’re exposed to something repeatedly, it seems we can become desensitized to almost anything. An event that once evoked shock can come to seem routine; what once prompted alarm can eventually inspire no more than a shrug.

• Kandi Wiens , EdD, is a senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education and the author of the book Burnout Immunity : How Emotional Intelligence Can Help You Build Resilience and Heal Your Relationship with Work (HarperCollins, 2024). A nationally known researcher and speaker on burnout, emotional intelligence, and resilience, she developed the Burnout Quiz to help people understand if they’re at risk of burning out.

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College Student Work Habits are Related to Physical Activity and Fitness

Despite the known benefits of regular physical activity, research shows a significant decline in physical activity participation and an increase in sedentary behavior during young adulthood during the college years. Studies examining the relationship between academic outcomes and fitness/physical activity have not extensively examined this among college students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between fitness measures (cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition), physical activity, and academic outcomes in college students. This cross-sectional study had college students complete a one-time fitness assessment and survey examining their physical activity and academic factors (GPA, study habits, course load). Correlations examined relationships between fitness, physical activity and academic outcomes, t-tests compared differences for fitness and behavioral outcomes between groups by academic factors. The final sample (n=512) was 50.4% male, 78% Non-Hispanic White, and 67% upperclassmen. The majority (76%) of participants reported meeting current PA guidelines. Hours of studying and social media use were both positively associated with body fat. Course load was negatively associated with vigorous activity. Study time was negatively associated with cardiovascular endurance, positively associated with hip flexibility and sedentary behavior. Higher GPA was associated with a higher BMI and a higher credit load was associated with less vigorous physical activity. These findings indicated that academic outcomes and physical activity may have a different relationship among college students compared with younger age groups. This study provides insight for the development of future campus-based health initiatives to have a shared focus of academic outcomes and physical activity.

INTRODUCTION

Physical activity is associated with decreased risk of heart disease, stroke, type-2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and lower all-cause mortality rate ( 17 ). The prevalence of chronic disease is a significant issue in public health. Despite the known benefits, research shows a significant decline in physical activity participation and an increase in sedentary behavior during young adulthood during the college years ( 20 ). There is significant evidence documenting the decline in activity levels through adolescence, and this trend continues with increasing age throughout adulthood. A study of 233 undergraduate students reported physical activity levels decreased during the transition from high school to college years; 65% of students reported engagement in regular vigorous and 26% in regular moderate physical activity during high school. Upon follow-up however, during their college years 38% of students participated in regular vigorous and 20% moderate PA( 6 ).

This decline in activity can be related to a variety of factors. As students transition from high school to college they gain greater autonomy relative to their daily lives. Epidemiological findings have reported a decrease in physical activity as autonomy increases throughout middle and high school ( 13 ). One longitudinal study of college students demonstrated that psychosocial and residency (location, i.e. on or off campus housing) influences student physical activity levels as well as related mediators (e.g. self-efficacy, perceived benefits)( 21 ). Other factors could include greater time demands (e.g. work, class time) as well as different access to places to be active.

There is a significant amount of literature examining the relationship between physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive/academic outcomes among adolescent, adult and senior citizen populations ( 16 ). Studies conducted with adolescents are extensive, though may not extrapolate to a college population. One study compared academic outcomes and physical fitness levels (cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition) for 6th and 7th graders. Analyses revealed that normal weight students had, on average, 11% higher GPA when compared with overweight students. Overweight students had lower reading comprehension scores and aerobic endurance levels were positively correlated with academic outcomes ( 18 ). In addition to these findings, a meta-analysis looking at data across 59 studies resulted that PA had a positive effect on children’s achievement and cognitive outcomes, and the greatest correlation was with aerobic exercise ( 13 ). Despite this abundance of evidence during other life stages, there is limited research examining how physical activity, fitness, and academic outcomes are related during the college years.

The evidence presented reinforces the importance of policies and programs including physical activity in K-12 school settings for both health and academic outcomes. The relationship between physical activity and academic outcomes among college students is less clear, and therein there is a lack of evidence informing college health and wellness programs and policies for physical activity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between objectively measured physical fitness (cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition), physical activity, sedentary behavior, and academic outcomes in a sample of college students. Based on previous research with other age groups, we hypothesized that there would be a positive relationship between fitness and academic outcomes for college students.

Participants

Participants were volunteers (n=512) enrolled in for-credit physical activity and nutrition classes that required a fitness assessment as a part of their course requirements. Courses drew from all colleges across the universities and were a part of a student general education requirement. Students were invited to take part in the survey between September and December 2013 and provided written consent to use their data. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at Pennsylvania State University.

Cardiovascular Fitness -

All subjects completed the YMCA cycle ergometer protocol ( 2 ). This test consisted of four, 3-minute stages of submaximal exercise. Workrates for stages 2–4 were determined by the heart rate response to the initial workrate of 150 kg·m/min. Heart rate was recorded each minute using an ePulse2 Heart Rate Monitor Armband (Impact Sports Technologies, San Diego, CA). Workrate and heart rate data from each test was entered into The Fitness Analyst software package (BSDI, Califon, New Jersey) and an estimate of maximal oxygen consumption (VO 2 max) was calculated via direct heart rate plotting.

Muscular Endurance -

Assessments included two tests; a one-minute maximum repetition push-up test and modified curl-up test. Modified curl-up’s are performed under a 40bpm cadence (max number possible to perform is 75 repetitions) ( 2 ).

Body Composition -

Height, weight, waist girth, Body Mass Index (BMI), and body fat percentage via bioelectrical impedance (Omron BF306, Omron Global, Lake Forest, IL) were used to assess subject’s body composition and weight status.

Flexibility -

Trunk flexion was assessed with a standard sit-and-reach box, with total distance recorded in centimeters ( 2 ).

Following the objective fitness measurements, subjects were asked to complete a brief survey. An identifying code number generated during the fitness assessment linked the participant’s fitness outcomes with their survey responses.

Demographics -

Students self-reported their current academic year, age, sex, and race/ethnicity.

Behavioral Outcomes -

The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (short-form) was used to assess moderate and vigorous leisure, occupational and transportation related physical activity ( 8 ). Minutes per week of moderate and vigorous physical activity were used in analyses. Students were asked to report number of hours/day spent sitting or reclining on a typical weekday to examine sedentary behavior. Participants also reported how many hours per day they spent using social media using a continuous scale of 0–24 hours. The distribution for social media was examined and the median was 2 hours per day, then social media use was dichotomized as less than or greater than 2 hours per day.

Academic Factors -

Individuals reported their current grade point average (GPA) using a continuous scale. The distribution was then examined and the median was 3.2. GPA was then dichotomized into less than/equal to or greater than 3.2 (all values rounded to the nearest tenth). Participants also indicated how many credits they were currently enrolled in using a continuous scale (dichotomized as normal (≤15) and overload (16 or greater) based on college norms) and the hours per day they spent studying and doing academic work (dichotomized as less than/greater than 2 hours, based on the median reported time).

Statistical Analysis

Basic descriptive statistics described the sample. Pearson correlations examined the relationships between the fitness, behavioral and academic outcomes. Independent t-tests were conducted to compare the differences for high/low social media use, study time and GPA for behavioral and fitness outcomes. Significance levels were set at p<.05 and all analyses were run using SPSS 22.0 (IBM, Armonk, NY).

Table 1 shows the demographics of the sample (n=512) of students. The majority of the population was white (76%) and upperclassmen (67%). For overall physical activity levels, 76% of the population met current physical activity guidelines ( 17 ). A majority (55%) of students reported studying more than 2 hours/day, 51.8% were taking 16 or more credits in the current semester, 61% reported using more than two hours of social media per day, and 59% of the sample had a GPA equal to or greater than a 3.3.

Demographic characteristics of the sample (n=512).

The correlational analyses of fitness variables with academic outcomes study variables are shown in Table 2 . Hours of studying was positively associated with body fat (r=0.13, p<.001) and negatively associated with predicted VO 2 max (r=−.011, p=.02). Social media use was positively associated with body fat (r=.09, p=.04). Number of credits was negatively associated with vigorous physical activity (r=−.09, p=.05).

Correlations between fitness, behavioral and academic outcomes.

Note: Boldface indicates significance, GPA-Grade point average, BMI-body mass index, VPA-vigorous physical activity, MPA-moderate physical activity

The results of t-test analyses comparing academic outcomes (high/low study time, social media use, GPA and number of credits) with fitness outcomes are found in Table 3 . Higher social media use was associated with greater body fat, lower BMI, less vigorous activity and more sedentary behavior compared with low social media use. Greater study time was associated with a lower predicted VO 2 max, greater hip flexibility, and more sedentary behavior than low study time. Higher GPA was associated with a higher BMI and taking a higher credit load was associated with less vigorous physical activity.

Comparison of fitness and behavioral outcomes by academic factors.

GPA-Grade point average, BMI-body mass index, VPA-vigorous physical activity, MPA-moderate physical activity, SB - sedentary behavior.

This study of college students outlines a possible relationship between behavior, fitness and academic variables. During college years, there are a number of personal habits that have the potential to impact health behaviors, including time management, academic activities, leisure activities and social media use. This study attempted to examine how lifestyle health behaviors in college student populations are related to academic factors and physical health outcomes. The implications of this study are relevant for college student healthcare providers, campus health and fitness departments and college administrators for informing preventative health interventions to impact lifelong health and fitness.

The sample in the current study reported that a majority of students both studied for more than two hours and used more than two hours of social media per day. These findings also found that hours of studying were positively associated with body fat and that high levels of social media use were correlated with higher body fat. Despite the findings with study time, no relationship with GPA and fitness was found. There is significant evidence among youth that indicates academic outcomes are positively related to better health outcomes ( 5 , 10 ), though it appears that, among college students, the evidence is much less clear. Similar to our findings, one study of medical students found no relationship between BMI and academic performance ( 1 ). A prospective study of 12–18 year olds found that physical activity was related to greater cognitive performance in early adolescence, but by 18 years the most active youth had lower cognitive performance. This indicates a possible shift in this relationship during the adolescent years ( 12 ). Furthermore, a study with college freshmen by Economos and colleagues ( 11 ) found that weight gain was associated with increased academic workload.

In regards to our findings on social media, limited research has examined how health behaviors and outcomes are related to social media use. Meta-analyses of weight management and social media use found inconclusive evidence for a relationship between BMI and social media use, though the majority of this research involved older populations than those in the current study ( 3 , 7 ). Our findings provide a foundation for further investigation, including examining daily time use.

Correlational analyses indicated that there was a significant relationship between study time compared to physical activity and fitness outcomes. Reported study hours were negatively associated with VO 2 max and vigorous physical activity. Further analyses revealed differences in vigorous activity between high (less active) and low social media use (more active) and credit load (lower load, higher activity). VO 2 max also differed between high (less fit) and low study time (more fit). A similar study involved 493 college students participating in 10 fitness conditioning activity classes ( 4 ). For men, computer use was negatively associated with vigorous exercise and participation in activity, and among women, television watching was negatively correlated with typical frequency of exercise, and history of vigorous physical activity. Time spent studying was positively correlated with days per week of strength training for females, and with minutes per week of exercise for both males and females ( 4 ). These differences suggest that further inquiry is necessary about the impact of social media and study time on physical activity behavior and related health outcomes. Future physical activity interventions targeting college students may need to consider the role of social media when developing intervention strategies or use social media as a behavior change strategy.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors wish to acknowledge the Center for Fitness and Wellness interns who assisted with the data collection for this project.

Disillusionment plagues young Latinos who could decide the 2024 race in battleground states

TEMPE, Ariz. — Young Latino voters in key swing states have the numbers to potentially sway the 2024 presidential election. But interviews with nearly two dozen young Latino students on college campuses in battleground states revealed many are currently unmotivated to back a candidate or even cast a ballot.

The students in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Georgia spoke passionately about Israel’s war in Gaza, the rising cost of living, immigration and abortion. Almost everyone interviewed said TikTok is where they get most of their news .

Amid the palm trees at Arizona State University, senior Darien Guerrero, 22, said he leans Republican. What he cares about most is the “great threat of climate change.”

But voting in November wasn’t high on his to-do list.

Climate change “is a problem that is bigger than us, bigger than the elections, the parties or anything. This is a human civilization problem,” said Guerrero, a biology major. He added that those in power often seem to be in the way of his generation’s efforts to fix the issue.

In the western U.S., which includes the battlegrounds of Arizona and Nevada, Latinos are nearly 4 of every 10 newly eligible voters — defined as those who have reached ages 18 or 19 since the 2022 midterms. In the South, Latinos are 24% of newly eligible voters, and in the Northeast they make up 19%.

Young voters usually favor Democratic candidates: The Harvard Youth Poll showed young Hispanics favor President Joe Biden over former President Donald Trump 50% to 27% in a two-way race, with 22% saying they don’t know. National polls currently show a tight race among all voters.

If young voters, many of them Latino, don’t vote in large enough numbers for Democrats —  particularly in Arizona, Georgia or Pennsylvania  — “that could be the whole race,” said Republican consultant Mike Madrid.

“It’s not [if] Democrats will win the youth vote — they will — but percentage is everything,” he said. “That is what has been narrowing this year, in a way that has been unprecedented.”

Pamela Gomez, 20, a biomedical student at ASU, said she intends to register to vote — but not yet. She passed on doing so with a group registering voters just a few yards away.

“I wish voting for a third party was more common or had more effect,” Gomez said. “Right now, I don’t want to vote for either Biden or Trump, but I know going for a third party doesn’t go anywhere.”

Biden and Democrats drew on solid young Latino support in battleground states to secure their 2020 and 2022 victories. In 2020, new voters of all backgrounds under age 30 favored Biden over Trump, 59% to 33%. Trump won new voters of all backgrounds over age 30, 55% to 42%.

It’s unclear how that will play out in this election cycle. “There’s a general sense of both parties are the same, nothing’s going to change; institutions have failed us; we don’t trust any of the institutions no matter who’s in power,” said political scientist Stella Rouse, director of ASU’s Hispanic Research Center.

Isiger Palomino-Garcia, a student at Lehigh Carbon Community College, lives in a section of eastern Pennsylvania considered the state’s “Latino Belt.” The Lehigh Valley was once known as an industrial center and includes Allentown, the former steel town that now has the third-most Hispanic people of any city in Pennsylvania. Every block in downtown Allentown seems to have a Dominican barbershop, churches with Spanish names and countless Hispanic food restaurants.

Candidates, especially Biden, are pinning their hopes on potential voters like Palomino-Garcia. But while she remembered being “really happy” that Barack Obama was president when she was a teenager, the 21-year-old said she hasn’t decided whether to vote this year because none of the candidates excite her.

That’s not for lack of effort on the part of the Democratic Party, according to Victor Martinez, owner and co-host of Allentown-based Spanish-language radio station La Mega 101.7 FM. He said this election is the first time he has seen the Democratic Party pay such early attention to Latino voters overall in the region.

The Biden campaign has purchased ad time on the station, given Martinez unprecedented access to Democratic candidates, and invited him to broadcast live from the White House during the State of the Union address. Republicans have not yet approached him, he said.

“I’m not worried about young people voting for Trump,” said Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha, who was a senior adviser to Sen. Bernie Sanders ’ presidential campaign. “I’m worried about them staying home.”

Israel-Hamas war and rising housing costs top concerns

Dalton State College is Georgia’s only Hispanic-serving institution, a federal designation for nonprofit institutions with at least 25% Hispanic full-time undergraduate enrollment. Located in the deep-red Whitfield County, which is represented by far-right Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress, Dalton boasts a large manufacturing industry and was once dubbed the “carpet capital of the world.” It’s also home to a vibrant Latino community that has come to define the small city in recent decades.

Nearly 40% of students on campus are Hispanic, and many of them grew up in Dalton or the surrounding area. Whitfield County is home to just over 11,000 registered Latino voters — about the same number of votes that carried Biden to victory in the state in 2020.

It is apparent here, as in Pennsylvania and Arizona, that the Biden campaign hasn’t yet eased young Latinos’ worries on several issues, in particular the Israel-Hamas war and frustrations over the lack of affordable housing.

Emmanuel Ramirez, 19, a computer science freshman at Dalton State College, said that while he’s leaning toward Biden, he hasn’t ruled out voting for a third party candidate in part because he’s unimpressed by the candidates’ responses to the Israel-Hamas war.

“It’s infuriating. It’s frustrating,” Ramirez said. At the time of the interview, Ramirez was fasting for Ramadan to show solidarity with his Muslim friends.

Biden, who signed a bill Tuesday that includes includes $26 billion in assistance to Israel and humanitarian relief in Gaza, has urged Israel to agree to a cease-fire and to curb attacks on Gaza, while Trump said in March that Israel should “ finish the problem ,” though he has otherwise mostly avoided talking about the war. Many young Latinos who expressed anger over the civilian deaths in Gaza were opposed to sending money to Israel and supported a cease-fire.

Many students were familiar with videos on social media that they said show Israeli strikes killing and injuring Palestinian civilians, including children, but some were not familiar with the details of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and hostage takings that triggered the current conflict.

Marcel Lopez, 20, who is getting his associate degree in engineering at Phoenix Community College, was also unhappy with the billions the U.S. is sending to support Ukraine in what he sees as “an unwinnable war.” 

Rocha said the war, along with a sense of rebellion and the “none of the above” view of Trump and Biden, are at the heart of malaise among young voters.

Across all three battleground states, young Latino college students said one of their top economic concerns was the increasing cost of housing.

Nicholas Hernandez, 22, an ASU political science and transborder studies major, said his family recently moved out of their four-bedroom west Phoenix home because the rent kept increasing. “A lot of my friends talk about that, too. Their parents’ rents have increased as well.”

He works two jobs and pays his school-related costs and application fees for law school. He’s a loyal Democrat, and although he said “Joe Biden is not the best,” he is voting for him.

A class assignment on municipal candidates motivated Jeremy Bautista, 20, a Lehigh Carbon business major, to vote for the first time last year in local Allentown elections. But he’s unsure whether he wants to vote again; neither Biden nor Trump has eased his concerns about his economic future.

“Am I going to be able to live on my own by the age of 23?” he said. “Am I going to be able to have that independence?”

When immigration is personal

Many of the young Latino college students interviewed are children of immigrants, with previously or still undocumented family members, and they see immigration as a deeply personal issue. They chafed — and some became emotional — while discussing the threats of increased immigration enforcement and deportations.

In Georgia, Ramirez recalled spending his summers picking grapes with his family, starting at age 10. He saw Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest and detain his father, leaving his mother to struggle to make ends meet for their three children.

“It was hard,” Ramirez said through tears. “It was really unfair. Obviously, the exploitation was there, the wages weren’t fair at all, and it hurt. But it shaped me.”

Hernandez, the ASU student, said he often talks with fellow students about living under his state’s harsh “ show me your papers law ” and worries about a return to that anti-immigrant environment.

“A lot of us talk about the trauma … of us losing our parents, seeing tíos (uncles), tías (aunts), friends, parents hiding. My dad was afraid to drive around,” said Hernandez. “My mother had to drive him everywhere.”

At Dalton State College, Karla Hernandez, 21, a senior studying biology, had similar fears now that the state has passed new legislation, House Bill 1105, to crack down on undocumented immigrants following the slaying of nursing student Laken Riley at the University of Georgia. Most Hispanic students and locals who spoke to NBC News cited the bill as a cause of deep concern.

Hernandez said she learned about the bill through Instagram posts and looked it up. The bill, which is awaiting the governor’s signature, could bring back a program known as 287(g) that partners local law enforcement with ICE to make arrests, conduct raids and other actions. The program has been a source of numerous complaints of racial profiling, denial of due process and family separations.

“It was like there is no way this is actually happening, and it was, so that’s really shocking,” she said.

ASU’s Rouse said her research shows there’s diversity of opinion in border counties and cities when it comes to immigration, even among young people, with some supporting more immigration restrictions because of the way increased migration has affected their communities. That could work in Republicans’ favor.

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Trump has vowed that, if elected, he’ll conduct massive deportation sweeps and wants to end  birthright citizenship . As president, he tried to get rid of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program , which Biden supports.

The issue for Democrats is whether these differences can mobilize young Latino voters to abandon thoughts of a third-party candidate.

A mobilization tipping point?

A few days after Arizona’s Supreme Court upheld an 1864 law imposing a near total ban on abortions, Guerrero, the biology student at ASU, said in a text that the court’s decision makes him feel more compelled to vote, though he hadn’t decided how he’ll vote.

Across the board, regardless of political leanings, young Latino college students supported abortion rights.

Mariajose Leon, 19, a freshman studying biomedical science and Spanish at ASU, said abortion is a human rights issue that is “very black and white — women should have the right to decide.”

Juan Carlos Avitia, 18, an ASU freshman studying aerospace engineering, said he leans Republican. He said women should have the right to choose, with some limits. “I don’t like big government, but I think there should be restrictions,” he said.

Abortion has been a mobilizing issue for Democrats: About 4 in 10 (42%) young Latino voters nationally said that the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade and state laws restricting abortion motivated them to vote in the 2022 midterms, according to a Brookings report .

That’s why Alyssa Cáceres, 20, a student at Lehigh Carbon, voted for the first time in that midterm. This year, she’s unhappy with the prospect of Biden and Trump on the ballot again, but does plan to vote.

“I’m unsettled. I’m picking between the lesser of two evils,” she said. “There should be a third choice that’s better.”

Fellow Lehigh Carbon student Margaret Rodríguez Sánchez, 20, is still on the fence about registering to vote. But she said reproductive rights would be “very important when it comes to my voting.”

Rouse, the ASU Hispanic Research Center director, said the Israel-Gaza conflict and immigration seemed to be drowning out the abortion issue, and she was unsure if it would be as mobilizing as Democrats hoped. But it’s back on the radar, she said.

This year, Democrats started their outreach and messaging to prospective Latino voters earlier and have been amping it up with just seven months to go before Election Day.

But in a tight race boiling down to what happens in a few swing states, challenges remain — especially for Biden. Young voters, Rouse said, aren’t engaging with what she describes as “existential threats” to democracy.

“It’s a really hard message to get across to young people,” she said.

Suzanne Gamboa reported from Tempe and Phoenix, Arizona; Nicole Acevedo from Allentown and Schnecksville, Pennsylvania; and Isabela Espadas Barros Leal from Dalton, Georgia.

Suzanne Gamboa is a national reporter for NBC Latino and NBCNews.com

Nicole Acevedo is a reporter for NBC News Digital. She reports, writes and produces stories for NBC Latino and NBCNews.com.

Isabela Espadas Barros Leal is an associate editor for NBC News' diversity verticals based in New York.