Pulse Legacy Archive March / April 2012 | Page 15

New Media Habits of Moms ccording to Moms and Media: 2011, a new report from the Edison Research/Arbitron Internet and Multimedia Research Series, more moms consider the Internet as their most “essential” new medium. The study was conducted by interviewing 2,020 respondents on their use of digital platforms and new media. A Key findings include: ● ● ● STUDY: YOGA CAN RELIEVE SYMPTOMS OF MENOPAUSE ● A study by researchers of Universidade Federal de São Paulo indicates that doing yoga several times a week can help diminish symptoms of menopause, including insomnia or sleep problem. In this study, 44 postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 65 who are not receiving hormone therapy, were divided into groups asked to do yoga, passive stretching or no fitness activity for four months. Researchers then took note of each study subject’s health, stress and sleeping patterns before and after the study. According to reports from Reuters, “women who did the yoga for four months considered their menopausal symptoms as mild, while those who didn’t do any activity considered their symptoms as moderate.” Reuters, however, pointed out that the study is small while researchers cautioned that, while it showed indications of improving menopausal symptoms, it does not prove that yoga can cure them. “But it can improve and relieve [menopausal symptoms],” says study researcher Dr. Helena Hachul of the Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Moms have come to depend on the Internet for everyday life as their most “essential” medium. Moms spend more time online daily than the general population, crossing the 2.5 hour threshold in 2011. Moms are highly active on Facebook, with 62 percent of American mothers having a profile on the popular social networking service. Smartphone ownership among moms has exploded in two years, with 36 percent reporting smartphone ownership (compared to 31 percent for the general population). Evaluate your digital presence to find out if your spa or business is reaching this highly sought-after market demographic. Is your spa or business website mom-friendly? Are your Facebook posts engaging for moms who may want to expand their love for spa to their teenage kids? Do you provide them an avenue to share their wellness stories or concerns through your social media tools, like blogs or Twitter? March/April 2012 ■ PULSE 13