Physical activity as one of the most optimal ways of active fatigue elimination and overcoming midlife crisis

The main aim of this research is to investigate the relationship between the characteristic ways of overcoming the midlife crisis and the various ways of fatigue elimination. More precisely, to examine the correlation between denial by escape, denial by overcompensation, decompensation, and creative and successful coping with the crisis on the one hand and fatigue elimination with chemical stimulants, with psychological stimulation and with physical activity (PA) and active rest on the other, as well as the gender differences within these variables. The sample consisted of 300 middle-aged people, aged between 40 and 64, uniform by gender. The following instruments were used: A list of the respondents’ basic biodata, the Midlife Crisis Scale and an evaluation scale representing the basic techniques of fatigue elimination in participants from different categories specifically designed for the research. Since the score distribution on the tested variables statistically deviate from normal distribution, non-parametric techniques were used. Pearson's correlation coefficient was applied for determining the connection between variables and the Mann Whitney U test for testing the difference between the groups of participants. The obtained results show that there is a statistically significant correlation between adequate PA, as a way of fatigue elimination, and the creative and successful coping with the crisis, as well as a moderate connection between different types of passive rest and decompensation, especially in women. It can be concluded that moderate, well-prescribed, and age-appropriate PA, as an important form of active rest, is connected with the most optimal way of coping with a midlife crisis.