Improved body resistance and mental health in students undergoing hypoxic training wearing insulating gas masks

Abstract

Relevance. Improving mental health of professionals working in extreme environments are an urgent step towards improved health of the urban population.Objective. The aim is to evaluate the long–term efficiency of hypoxic training wearing a filter gas mask in terms of mental health.Methods. Mental health assessment was carried out using Spielberger–Khanin questionnaire and the Lusher test. The correlation between the indicators showing changes in the level of anxiety, vital lung capacity and the number of trunk lifts were calculated for the two groups of students, each including 50 participants. Group 1 used a filter gas mask while doing physical exercises within their hypoxic training, whereas Group 2 performed similar amount of exercises without wearing a gas mask.Results and discussion. Group 1 showed a significant decrease in the level of anxiety and a trend towards having less students with future pursuits and hopes for the best. By the end of the study, moderate negative correlations of reactive anxiety with an increase in the vital lung capacity (r = –0.43; p < 0.05) and the number of trunk lifts in supine position (r= –0.37; p < 0.05) was found in Group 1. Factor analysis in both groups revealed restructured functional body reserves during physical training.Conclusion. Hypoxic training in students throughout the academic year allowed to significantly increase the vital lung capacity, physical resilience, satisfaction, pursuits and positive perception of the future, while reducing the level of anxiety.