Photo Courtesy: Pexels and Andrea Piacquadio
As a caregiver, it is easy to become consumed by the needs of others and neglect your own well-being. The demands of caring for others can leave you feeling drained, exhausted, and empty. There’s even a word for it – caregiver burnout.
In the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP Public Policy Institute survey, 40 percent of caregivers felt emotionally stressed, almost 20 percent said it caused financial problems, and about 20 percent felt physically strained.
However, it is important to remember that a caregiver’s cup is not empty, but rather it is broken. There are a lot of things you can do to ease the emotional burden and bolster your spirits while caring for a loved one. Here are 10 ideas for caregivers to do just that:
1. Prioritizing self-care: What’s that saying about putting on your own oxygen mask on the airplane before helping others? Prioritizing self-care is a crucial aspect of maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle. When you make time to take care of yourself, you are better equipped to handle the challenges of being someone’s primary caregiver.
Self-care can take many different forms and may look different for every person. But the end goal is always the same: to promote physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
Engage in some activities that bring you joy. This could be anything from practicing yoga or going for a run to reading a book or taking a relaxing bath. Whatever it is that makes you feel happy and rejuvenated, make sure to carve out time in your schedule to do it regularly.
Special experiences can also help you unwind. Whether it is getting a massage or a manicure or going out for a night with friends, a change of scenery and perspective is a sure fire mood booster.
2. Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness is a practice that has been gaining popularity in recent years due to its ability to help people stay present in the moment and reduce stress. It involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment, and it can be practiced in a variety of ways, including deep breathing, meditation, or yoga.
The Mayo Clinic offers a number of exercises to try and says that making a practice of mindfulness every day for six months can ingrain it as a healthy habit.
In addition to reducing stress, mindfulness can have other benefits, including improved sleep, increased focus and concentration, and better emotional regulation. All these things are important to keep your emotional and physical strength up.
3. Set Boundaries: Setting boundaries is a vital aspect of maintaining healthy relationships and promoting self-care. Boundaries are the limits that we set for ourselves to establish what is and is not acceptable behavior from others. They help us to communicate our needs and protect ourselves from harm or exploitation.
Learning to say no is a key component of setting boundaries. It can be difficult to say no, especially in a caregiving capacity if you are used to people pleasing. However, saying no is an important way to establish your own needs and priorities. It allows you to prioritize your own well-being and avoid overcommitting.
Creating space for you is another part of boundary setting. This could mean taking time away from caregiving duties or turning off your phone for a while. Creating space allows you to recharge your batteries and avoid burnout.
Remember that setting boundaries is not selfish. It is an essential aspect of self-care and is necessary for your overall health and happiness.
4. Seek Support: No matter what challenges you may be facing, it is important to remember that you are not alone, and that help is available.
One way to seek support is by joining a support group. Support groups can be a valuable source of comfort, advice, and understanding. Caring Bridge offers a starting point for you to find the group that best suits your needs.
Family and friends can also provide a source of comfort, companionship, and understanding. It is okay to ask for help from those who care about you.
5. Take Breaks: Caregiving can be overwhelming at times, and breaks are mandatory. Take a walk, listen to music, or practice a hobby to give yourself a break from caregiving responsibilities.
Texas Health and Human Services notes that caregivers who don’t take some time for themselves have been found to develop chronic health problems at nearly twice the rate of non-caregivers. And as many as 70% of family caregivers experience depression and anxiety. If you don’t have friends and family who can pitch in, there are other respite options available for you.
6. Practice Gratitude: A shift in perspective can be a valuable thing. And it is a simple yet powerful way to improve your mental and emotional well-being. While this is sometimes hard to do when faced with the daily demands of a loved one, a practice of gratitude can help shift our mindset from one of negativity and stress to one of positivity and appreciation.
Try keeping a gratitude journal. Each day, take a few moments to write down three to five things that you are grateful for. These could be anything from the people in your life, to your health, your job, your home, or even small moments of joy and pleasure that you experienced during the day. Alternatively, express thanks to the people in your life. Send a thank-you note to a friend or give a colleague a verbal high five. You’ll improve your own sense of well-being but also strengthen your relationships and connections with others.
7. Practice Forgiveness: Practicing forgiveness is a game changer for maintaining good mental and emotional health. If you can release negative emotions, such as anger, resentment, and hurt, you will feel lighter. Forgiveness is not just for others, but for letting yourself off the hook too.
Forgiving is about letting go of any grudges or resentment you may hold. This can be challenging, especially if you have been hurt deeply or betrayed in some way. However, if you can make space for positive emotions, such as empathy, compassion, and understanding, you can crowd out the other less desirable ones. You can also quiet the voices in your own head that seek to shame and to criticize.
It’s worth noting that practicing forgiveness does not mean that you forget or condone the actions of others. It just means that the negative emotions don’t control you. You’ve got enough on your plate as it is.
8. Get Enough Sleep: Sleep is essential for your physical and mental health. Establish a consistent sleep schedule and prioritize getting enough rest each night.
“There’s more to good sleep than just the hours spent in bed,” Dr. Marishka Brown tells the NIH. “Healthy sleep encompasses three major things. One is how much sleep you get. Another is sleep quality—that you get uninterrupted and refreshing sleep. The last is a consistent sleep schedule.”
One way to get to sleep faster and easier is to leave your phone in another room, or at least out of reach. The light from your cell phone screen restrains the production of melatonin, which is the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle.
9. Eat Nutritious Foods: Food is fuel. You’ve probably heard that since you were a kid. You need premium fuel right now. Your body relies on numerous nutrients to function properly, and when you don’t provide your body with what it needs, your physical and mental health can suffer.
One of the most important aspects of a healthy and balanced diet is prioritizing whole foods, which are minimally processed and contain no added sugars, preservatives, or artificial ingredients. Think fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
Eating a healthy diet can improve your mental health too by reducing inflammation in the body and promoting the production of feel-good hormones such as serotonin.
10. Seek Professional Help: If you are experiencing mental health struggles, it is important to seek professional help. Caring for others, whether it be children, elderly relatives, or those with special needs, can be a rewarding experience, but it can also be emotionally draining. Caregivers often put their own needs on the back burner to prioritize the needs of those they are caring for, leading to feelings of burnout, exhaustion, and anxiety.
Oaks Counseling Associates specializes in a variety of areas, including caregiver-related anxiety, depression, and grief. We provide a safe and supportive environment where you can feel comfortable discussing your struggles and working toward a better outlook.
For more information, explore our website and request an appointment.
This blog was written by Jonathan Kolmetz, MBA, MS
Kolmetz is supervised by Megan Pollock MS, LPC-S, CST., Lic# 18400
