The role of physical activity, stress, and lifestyle behaviors in adolescent mental health and well-being: A systematic review
Abstract
Problem: Adolescents often face mental health problems such as stress, sleep disturbances, and low life satisfaction. Although many studies have shown that physical activity can improve mental health, it is still unclear how physical activity works together with other lifestyle factors like stress, diet, and social media use. Purpose: This study aims to summarize the effects of physical activity and related lifestyle factors on adolescent mental health. Methods: This study utilized a systematic literature review approach, gathering and analyzing scientific articles on the effects of regular physical activity influence the risk of depression among adolescents. Articles were sourced from Scopus using search terms such as "physical activity" OR exercise OR sport) AND (depression OR "mental health") AND (adolescent* OR teenager* OR youth with a focus on studies published within the past five years. After collecting relevant articles, descriptive analysis was conducted to identify consistent patterns and findings. Results: This review found that higher levels of physical activity were linked to better mental health in adolescents. Positive outcomes included reduced stress, better sleep quality, higher life satisfaction, and greater resilience. On the other hand, excessive social media use, poor diet, and high stress levels were related to worse mental health outcomes. Environmental differences also played a role, with rural and urban adolescents showing different patterns in physical and mental health.. Conclusion: Physical activity helps improve mental health in adolescents. It reduces stress, improves sleep, and increases life satisfaction. At the same time, managing social media use, eating healthy foods, and reducing stress are also important. Promoting healthy lifestyles can support better mental well-being in young people.
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