Effects of physical exercise on mental health and academic performance of university students: a systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55892/jrg.v8i19.2472Keywords:
Physical exercise, Mental health, Academic performance, University students, Systematic review.Abstract
This study aimed to synthesize scientific evidence on the effects of physical exercise on the mental health and academic performance of university students. This is a systematic review conducted according to PRISMA guidelines, with searches performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, and PsycINFO, between 2015 and 2024. Randomized clinical trials and quasi-experimental studies that evaluated physical exercise interventions in university students were included. The results indicated that physical exercise is consistently associated with reduced symptoms of burnout, depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as improvements in physiological markers such as heart rate variability. Aerobic, resistance, and mind-body modalities demonstrated efficacy, especially combined interventions (physical and psychological). It is concluded that physical exercise is an effective and feasible strategy for promoting mental health and potentially improving academic performance in university students.
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References
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