Mobility during Covid-19 and Its Profound Impact on Mental Health
Dear Thermalist readers!
We have all been through a lot in the past three years due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. Our daily routines drastically changed, and our mobility changed, too. With lockdowns, travel restrictions, and social distancing measures in place, our ability to move freely has been minimal. It was devastating, to say the least.
The Covid-19 pandemic has reshaped the very essence of our everyday lives. Terms like “social distancing,” “lockdowns,” and “quarantine” shifted from jargon to daily practice.
For many, these changes brought about significant and unexpected limitations on their once-unnoticed freedoms. The impact of these restrictions, particularly those relating to our mobility, has been profound, affecting our physical and mental health.
I am going to talk about how the drastic changes in mobility during COVID-19 have affected our mental health and suggest ways to cope with these challenges. But before that, let’s discover the connection between mobility and mental health.
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The Link Between Mobility and Mental Health
The relationship between mobility and mental health has been well-established in research. Frequent physical movement, whether walking, running, or simply being outdoors, has positively impacted our mental well-being.
When mobile, we tend to be more engaged with the environment, leading to a sense of freedom and control over our surroundings. This boosts mood, reduces stress and anxiety, and improves cognitive functioning.
On the other hand, restrictions on mobility can have adverse effects on our mental health. The disruption of daily routines and limited physical activity can lead to feelings of boredom, frustration, and isolation.
Moreover, the fear of contracting the virus while in transit or crowded public spaces can also contribute to increased levels of anxiety and stress.
A fascinating study by Ramkinker Mishra and colleagues looked at how the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic affected physical activity and sleep in older adults. They assessed the differences between physical activity and sleep before and after the pandemic declaration, using a wearable device.
They also measured depression symptoms using a survey. The results showed that there was a decrease in physical activity and increase in depression after the pandemic declaration. This highlights the need for timely interventions to mitigate these negative effects on older adults' wellbeing.
What is the Impact of Covid-19 on Mobility?
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed our mobility patterns. With lockdowns and travel restrictions, many people were confined to their homes, and non-essential travel was discouraged. Safety measures such as wearing masks and social distancing became the new norm for those who could leave their homes.
These changes in mobility have had a significant impact on our mental health. Studies have shown that people experienced higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression during lockdown periods. Limited physical activity and decreased social interaction were significant contributing factors to these adverse mental health effects.
I found this interesting study by Ho Fai Chan and colleagues about the impact of movement restrictions on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. They used data from a survey called “Understanding Society, which collects information from households across the UK,” and combined it with data on mobility levels in different areas. They looked at people’s time at home and their mental wellbeing.
Understanding Society (UK Household Longitudinal Study)
The researchers used data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study in this study. This study collected information from about 40,000 households in the United Kingdom during its first wave. The survey included questions about different social, economic, and behavioral topics.
Respondents were from 380 Local Authority Districts in the UK. The most recent data included responses from individuals surveyed around 2019.
In April 2020, a special survey was conducted as part of Understanding Society to gather information on how the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the well-being of individuals, families, and communities.
This survey included questions about caring for others, employment status, financial situation, homeschooling, and mental well-being. Participants were asked to complete a survey every month from April to July 2020 and then every two months from September 2020 onwards. In total, 17,452 individuals completed a survey in April 2020.
The University of Essex Ethics Committee approved all data collection related to Understanding Society and its special COVID-19 survey. Participants provided their consent to participate in the study.
COVID-19 pandemic and the mental health of children and young people in Australia
The final sample included 110,008 observations from 19,763 individuals living in 13,295 households. This analysis covers the period of initial lockdown and a series of repeated lockdowns from March 2020 to September 2021 - about one and a half years into the pandemic.
The study looked at how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health of children and young people in Australia. It also analyzed how crisis hotline services were used during this time.
To measure mental distress, a score called GHQ Caseness was used. This score is based on answers to 12 questions about feelings of strain, depression, coping abilities, insomnia due to anxiety
Google’s Community Mobility Reports
In addition, Google’s Community Mobility Reports were used to track changes in people’s movements during the pandemic. These reports are based on data from internet-connected devices with location history turned on and cannot identify individuals.
The study focused on changes in the amount of time people spent at home compared to before the pandemic. The results showed a significant decrease in mobility among people living in London at the beginning of the pandemic (April 2020), with a 30% increase in time spent at home.
The study also used data from Understanding Society, a survey that includes information on where participants live, to analyze changes in residential mobility across different regions in the UK.
They looked at the number of people infected by COVID-19 and the number of deaths reported from it, which was collected by the UK Health Security Agency. They looked at this information for different regions in the UK, such as North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East, South West, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
The researchers also considered the population of each region to calculate the number of reported cases per thousand people. This helped them consider the severity of COVID-19 in each region when studying its impact on mental health.
The study also looked at government policies related to lockdowns using data from the Oxford Coronavirus Government Response Tracker to measure how strict the lockdown policies were. This was done using a composite index of nine policy indicators, such as workplace closures and restrictions on public gatherings.
The data for these measures were collected at the country level (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland). The researchers also looked at the average COVID-19 cases and the stringency index over the past 7 or 14 days from the survey date. This helped them take into account any changes in these measures over time.
State of people’s mental well-being during the pandemic
The study found that during the pandemic, people’s mental wellbeing declined significantly. The worst month was April 2020, and mental health improved as lockdown restrictions were eased in the summer. However, when lockdowns were reinstated in winter, mental health worsened again. This suggests that increased mobility restrictions due to lockdowns harmed mental health.
The researchers also found a strong correlation between reduced movement and a higher prevalence of mental health issues.
This was seen in both measures of mental health, with a higher score indicating worse mental health. The study also showed that the more time people spent at home during the earlier months of the pandemic, the worse their mental health was.
This trend persisted across all 12 regions studied. The data also revealed that as the pandemic progressed, with darker colors representing later waves, there was a stronger association pandemic between reduced movement and poorer mental health. So, increased mobility restrictions due to lockdowns likely hurt people’s mental health during the.
This study found that people living in London had the strongest relationship between lockdown restrictions and mental health, with a significant correlation. This was likely due to the drastic change in time spent at home during the strictest lockdown period.
Similar results were seen in other regions, with varying levels of correlation. At a smaller level, there was also a positive correlation between residential mobility restrictions and mental health.
Covid -19 and older adults
Another study by Ramkinker Mishra and colleagues also looked at the impact of social isolation during COVID-19 on older adults. They measured physical activity and sleep in 10 older adults (average age of 77.3 years) before and after the pandemic declaration using wearable devices and surveys.
The results showed that after the pandemic, there was a significant decrease in standing time, walking, step counts, and postural transitions while sitting time increased. Additionally, symptoms of depression also increased by 150%.
Interestingly, this increase in depression was linked to prolonged periods of sitting, slower walking pace, and shorter sleep duration. These findings suggest the need for timely interventions to prevent long-term consequences such as depression due to decreased physical activity during the pandemic. This study highlights the negative impact of social isolation on the physical activity and sleep of older adults during the pandemic.
Final Word
There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected our mental health in various ways. Studies like these help shed light on the impact of lockdowns and other restrictions on mental well-being, especially for vulnerable populations like older adults.
The findings also emphasize the need for interventions and support to mitigate and prevent negative consequences on mental health during times of crisis. As we continue to navigate through this challenging time, it’s crucial to prioritize mental health and seek help if needed. Together, we can overcome this pandemic and emerge stronger.
Keynotes and Takeaway
The COVID-19 pandemic led to increased restrictions on mobility, which have negatively impacted people’s mental health.
Older adults are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of reduced physical activity and social isolation during the pandemic.
Timely interventions and support are necessary to prevent long-term consequences on mental health during times of crisis.
It is essential to prioritize mental health and seek support during this challenging time.
I hope you enjoyed the article today! I wish you all a great Week!
Susanna