Dr. Hab., Associate Professor E.S. Sadovnikov¹
Dr. Hab., Professor I.V. Vlasyuk¹
PhD N.T. Trishina¹
PhD, Associate Professor M.N. Zhegalova^1
1Volgograd State University, Volgograd

Objective of the study was to identify the opportunities to use health and fitness activities as a stress management tool in terms of the novel coronavirus infection declared a global pandemic.
Methods and structure of the study. The main research methods were abstraction (idealization, schematization, allocation of essential bases); experimenting with schemes and models (testing their contents, comprehensibility, and practicality); empirical research at the premises of the Voronezh State University. Sampled for the study were 50 respondents aged 18-23 years, including 45 girls and 5 boys.
The theoretical basis of the study was S. Freud’s "libidinal labour" concept in its simplified interpretation – as a transformation of labour into pleasure and healing. The article considers the results of the experimental and theoretical research in the sphere of stress management by L.A. Kitaev-Smyk, conducted within the framework of military campaigns and long-term training of astronauts.
Results and conclusions. Health and fitness activities are among the stress management tools that require a body of knowledge about stress as a physiological and psychological phenomenon in human life. A system of hypoventilation breathing exercises taken from the arsenal of elite sports is recommended to train the respiratory system. It is emphasized that it is necessary to keep to a rigid diet and deal with overweight. It is stated that the principles discussed are consistent with the provisions developed as the basis for effective health and fitness activities, which, in turn, are based on the natural patterns of strengthening and preservation of health and conform to the socio-cultural conditions for an individual’s functioning in society.

Keywords: pandemic, novel coronavirus infection, health and fitness activities, stress, uncertainty, healthcare actor.

References

1. Kitaev-Smyik L.A. Organizm i stress: stress zhizni i stress smerti [Body and stress: stress of life and death]. Smysl publ., 2012. 281 p.
2. Sadovnikov E.S., Andryushchenko O.E. Optimum blagopoluchiya v zdorovom obraze zhizni [Optimum well-being in healthy lifestyle]. Uchen. zapiski universiteta im. P.F. Lesgafta. 2012. No.7 (89). pp. 121-126.
3. Sadovnikov E.S., Andryushchenko O.E. Osobennosti formirovaniya sub'ekta zaboty o svoem zdorove v zdorovom obraze zhizni [Features of formation of subject of own health care in healthy lifestyle]. Fizicheskoe vospitanie studentov. 2012. No. 6. pp. 100-104.
4. Sadovnikov E.S. Printsipy funktsionirovaniya sistemy fizkulturno-ozdorovitelnoy deyatelnosti [Youth sports and recreation system functioning principles]. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury. 2019. No. 3. P. 77.