The Effects of Green Exercise Program Consisting of 12-week Aerobic and Resistance Exercises on Sleep Quality, Alexithymia, Anxiety and Depression in Elderly People

The Effects of Green Exercise Program Consisting of 12-week Aerobic and Resistance Exercises on Sleep Quality, Alexithymia, Anxiety and Depression in Elderly People

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of combination of aerobic and resistance exercises in the green exercise concept on depression, anxiety, alexithymia and sleep quality of elderly individuals. Elderly individuals over the age of 65 will be included in the study. Two groups of 20 people each will take part in the study. One group will be given aerobic and resistance exercises for 12 weeks, 2 days a week in the green exercise concept, the other group will be the control group and will not be included in the exercise program. Participants will be evaluated twice, at the beginning of the study and at the end of 12 weeks.

Forty volunteer participants aged 65 years over will be included in the study. Participants will be randomly divided into two groups as experimental and control group. While experimental group will receive both aerobic and resistance exercises and control group will receive no exercise. Exercises will be held in an open and green area. Depression, anxiety, alexithymia and sleep quality of elderly individuals will be evaulated at the beginning of the treatment and at the end of the twelfth week. The exercise program will be done for 12 weeks, 2 days a week.

Inclusion Criteria:

• people aged over 65 years
• Be fit to participate in exercise program after the first cardiac examination by the physician
• Having a score above 24 in the Minimental Test

Exclusion Criteria:

• Having neuromuscular disease
• Serious medical condition (for example, advanced malignancy or major neurological, psychiatric or endocrine disease, respiratory failure, etc.)
• Having an orthopedic disease that interferes with walking
• Having a score below 24 in the Minimental Test