This study examines the stressor-response process in physical activity among 226 participants across four countries. We analyzed their step count collected via activity monitors before and after a significant stressor: the COVID-19 lockdown. Results showed that a 'local dynamic complexity' metric significantly predicts the rate of recovery to pre-COVID levels of physical activity. These findings provide new opportunities for just-in-time interventions to support physical activity recovery after disruptive stressors.

CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública Barcelona Spain

Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands

Family Health Centers of San Diego San Diego CA USA

Institute of Psychology University of Bern Bern Switzerland

ISGlobal Barcelona Spain

UC San Diego San Diego CA USA

Univ Rennes Inserm EHESP Irset Rennes France

Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona Spain

University of Basel Basel Switzerland

University of Ostrava Ostrava Czechia

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