When COVID-19 forced people to stay home in Brazil, researchers wanted to understand how it affected mothers’ daily habits. They studied over 1,000 pregnant women and new moms, comparing their routines before the pandemic to during lockdown. The results showed that about half the mothers slept the same amount, but more than half exercised less and ate more food. Interestingly, older mothers (over 34) were less likely to change their habits dramatically. This research helps us understand how stressful situations like lockdowns affect families and shows that different age groups may need different kinds of support.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How mothers’ everyday habits changed during COVID-19 lockdowns, including sleep, exercise, smoking, drinking alcohol, and eating
  • Who participated: 1,030 pregnant women and new mothers in Rio Grande, Brazil, ranging from younger to older ages, studied before and during the pandemic lockdown
  • Key finding: More than half of mothers exercised less during lockdown, and about 58% ate more food. However, older mothers (over 34) were much less likely to make big changes to their habits compared to younger mothers
  • What it means for you: If you’re a mother or caregiver, understanding that lockdowns and isolation naturally change our routines is important. Older mothers may have more stable habits, but all mothers may benefit from extra support during stressful times. This doesn’t mean you did anything wrong—it’s a normal response to unusual circumstances.

The Research Details

Researchers used information from a long-term health study of mothers in Brazil that started in 2019. They compared what mothers reported about their habits before COVID-19 hit with what they reported during the lockdown period (May-July 2020). The mothers answered detailed questions about their sleep, exercise, smoking, alcohol use, and eating patterns. The researchers then used special math tools to figure out which mothers were most likely to change their habits and why.

This type of study is valuable because it follows the same people over time, which helps researchers see real changes in behavior. By comparing the same mothers before and after lockdown, the researchers could be more confident that lockdown actually caused the changes they observed, rather than other factors.

This research design is important because it captures real-life changes during a major crisis. Instead of just asking mothers to remember what happened, researchers had information from before the pandemic, making the comparison more accurate. Understanding how mothers’ habits change during lockdowns helps doctors and public health officials prepare better support for families during future emergencies.

This study has several strengths: it included over 1,000 mothers, which is a large enough group to trust the results; it used the same mothers before and after lockdown, which is more reliable than comparing different groups; and it asked detailed questions about many different habits. However, the study only looked at mothers in one city in Brazil, so results might be different in other places. Also, mothers answered questions themselves, which means some might not remember exactly or might answer differently than they would in real life.

What the Results Show

During the COVID-19 lockdown, mothers’ habits changed in several important ways. About half of the mothers (52.5%) kept the same amount of sleep, but the other half either slept more or less. The biggest change was in physical activity: more than half (51.9%) reported exercising less during lockdown. Food intake also increased for most mothers—58.1% said they ate more food than before.

Alcohol and smoking were less common overall. About 72.4% of mothers didn’t drink alcohol at all, and 87.1% didn’t smoke. These numbers stayed fairly stable during lockdown, meaning most mothers who didn’t drink or smoke before the pandemic continued not to during lockdown.

One surprising finding was that age made a big difference. Mothers over 34 years old were much less likely to change their habits compared to younger mothers. For example, older mothers were only about one-quarter as likely to increase their physical activity, and they were much less likely to change their alcohol consumption patterns.

The research also showed that older mothers had lower chances of sleeping more hours during lockdown. This suggests that older mothers may have had more stable sleep schedules even during the stressful pandemic period. The study found that maternal age was the strongest predictor of habit changes, meaning age was more important than other factors in determining whether mothers changed their routines.

This research adds to what we already know about how lockdowns affect people’s health habits. Previous studies showed that many people worldwide gained weight, exercised less, and had sleep problems during COVID-19. This study confirms those patterns in Brazilian mothers specifically and adds new information by showing that age is an important factor. Older mothers appear to be more resistant to habit changes, which differs from some other research suggesting older people struggle more with isolation.

This study only looked at mothers in one city in Brazil, so the results might not apply to mothers in other countries or different parts of Brazil. The study relied on mothers’ own reports about their habits, which can be less accurate than actual measurements. Also, the study didn’t measure how long the habit changes lasted—we don’t know if mothers returned to their old routines after lockdown ended. Finally, the study didn’t explore why older mothers changed their habits less, so we can only guess at the reasons.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, mothers during lockdowns or isolation periods may benefit from: (1) Extra support and resources for staying physically active at home, (2) Guidance on healthy eating during stressful times, and (3) Awareness that habit changes during crises are normal and not a personal failure. These recommendations have moderate confidence because they’re based on one study in one location. Younger mothers may need more targeted support than older mothers.

This research is most relevant to mothers and pregnant women, especially those who may face future lockdowns or isolation periods. Healthcare providers, public health officials, and policymakers should care about these findings to better support families during crises. Younger mothers may find this especially relevant since they showed more habit changes. However, if you live in a different country or culture, the results might not apply exactly to your situation.

Habit changes happened quickly—within just a few months of lockdown starting. If you’re trying to improve habits after a stressful period, expect changes to take several weeks to a few months to establish. The research doesn’t tell us how long it took mothers to return to normal routines after lockdown ended.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily physical activity minutes and meals eaten during stressful periods. Set a baseline before any major life changes, then monitor weekly to see if activity decreases or food intake increases. Compare your patterns to see which habits shift first.
  • Use the app to set realistic exercise goals during isolation (like 15-20 minute home workouts instead of gym visits). Create meal plans that prevent mindless eating during stressful times. Set sleep reminders to maintain consistent sleep schedules, which the research shows is easier to maintain than changing.
  • Create a ‘habit stability score’ that tracks sleep consistency, weekly exercise minutes, and daily food intake. Compare this score monthly to identify which habits are most vulnerable during stress. For older users, the app could provide less aggressive change recommendations since research suggests they naturally maintain habits better.

This research describes what happened to mothers in Brazil during COVID-19 lockdown and should not be interpreted as medical advice. If you’re concerned about changes in your sleep, exercise, eating, or other health habits during stressful times, please consult with your healthcare provider. This study was conducted in one specific location and time period, so results may not apply to all mothers or all situations. Always speak with a doctor before making significant changes to your health routines, especially if you’re pregnant or postpartum.