According to a new study conducted at Penn State University, 61 percent of mothers wrote personal blogs covering anything from hobbies to parenting accomplishments. 76 percent of the mothers in the study reported frequently read blogs written by other mothers. The study found that this significantly reduced feelings of loneliness, anxiety and stress.
The survey questioned 157 first time mothers whose children were less than 18 months of age. The women were asked about their media activities and their wellbeing. It was reported that while social media such as MySpace and Facebook had no impact on their mental health, those women that had their own blog or followed blogs written by new mothers had significantly reduced symptoms of stress, fewer marital problems and had a generally higher level of wellbeing.
The researchers argued that mothers who were part of a blog, reported feeling more supported which in turn changed their perceptions of stressful or challenging parts of motherhood.
Mindfulness has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, depression and improve health and wellbeing including increasing immunity and lowering blood pressure. Though new mothers may not be able to sit for hours contemplating life and meditating, Mindfulness could be integrated into day-to-day activities such as walking to keep stress and destructive emotions at bay.
