Caregivers And Stress: Resources For Self-Care

Caregivers and stress often go hand in hand. Caregiving can take many forms. Maybe you work as a caregiver in someone’s home or maybe you work in an assisted living facility. Maybe you have an elderly parent living with you (or you live with them). Maybe the person for whom you provide care lives on their own, but you are checking on them daily, doing their shopping /errands, meal prep, helping with finances, or helping with showering- the list goes on and on. It could be that you provide transportation and assistance with medical appointments. Maybe you are a caregiver for a spouse or a child. 

Don’t minimize your impact and responsibility because you think you are only doing a “little” bit of extra work. You are still providing invaluable and needed assistance to someone. If you care for a loved one, you are doing many tasks above and beyond what you are already doing for yourself and your family. Caregivers and stress and burnout is a real thing and should not be minimized. 

If you work in healthcare in any capacity, you most likely see first hand the effects of caregivers and stress. And, you know that it can take a toll on your mental and physical well being. You are probably on your feet for multiple hours a day- maybe your position also involves lifting and moving with patients throughout the day. As is true for all healthcare jobs- the amount of paperwork and documentation is never ending. We often pay closer attention to our body mechanics when we are performing heavy lifting or patient centered tasks.

However, completing hours of documentation or sitting for long periods of time with a tired body results in poor posture- Not to mention the added stress of feeling like you are behind before you even get started. Take a look at some resources related to caregivers and stress that may be helpful to you:

Caregiver Burnout (Cleveland Clinic)

Caregiver Blogs (Caring.com) is a link to an article with 12 different caregiver blogs. Don’t be overwhelmed by the list. Take a quick look at the descriptions and see if there is one that resonates with you. They are all different, but they all provide many types of resources.

Self-Care for Family Caregivers (Caregiver Alliance) resource from the Family Caregiver Alliance is a quick read to help you get started in understanding the importance of taking care of yourself

Caregiver Stress And Burnout (HealthGuide.org) has resources, tips, and links to caregiver support services including respite care.

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Caregivers And Stress: Simple Tips You Can Try Right Now

So, you love what you are doing and you are happy to be of assistance in this way. But, you still have to take care of yourself or you won’t be any good to anyone else. The phrase self care has become a bit of a buzzword. It sounds great but how can you really find the time for it? When we think of self care-we often have this image of doing something big like getting our nails done or getting a massage.

You are probably thinking- who has time for that?  That alone may seem daunting and just one more thing to add to your list of things to do. But, we do have time to add in a few minutes here and there. We can work on making a simple but powerful shift in our mindset that will allow us to simply take a beat between tasks.

There are a plethora of self care lists available with a quick google search of caregivers and stress – and I encourage you to do just that and see if you find any that might work for you. And yes, getting outside help to take care of certain tasks and to give yourself a break is wonderful. But, what about some small, practical, and simple things that you can do without even having to plan for it? Take a look at these 5 simple activities that you can do right now.

Caregivers And Stress: 5 Simple Self Care Tips

1. Breathing

Take 3 deep breaths before you begin a new task- and really focus on the breath. Sit or stand up tall, broaden through the chest and take a full inhale all the way into the belly. Take a long full exhale. If you are so inclined to do so- take that full exhale through the mouth and add an audible sigh. Just doing this simple thing can help reset your nervous system and help take you out of the “fight or flight mode”. You can even have your loved one, client, or patient do it with you.

2. Mindfulness

Try tapping into the tool of Mindfulness. You may be worn down by the monotony of a certain task. You have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it. Try to focus on what you are doing instead of what you have to do next. Notice the environment of the room, the sounds, the temperature, and how you feel. Are there things that you never noticed? Do you feel tension in your muscles? Are you tense in your jaw or your forehead? Is your mind racing? Are you feeling frustrated?

It may seem as if you are not doing anything here- but you are tapping into how you are feeling and equipping yourself with the tool of self-awareness. That is invaluable in caring for yourself and learning when you need to take a break. 

Take a look at this book if you are interested in some ways to add a mindfulness practice to your daily life: Practicing Mindfulness

Or print out this Daily Check In or this 30 Day Gratitude printable to help you start a gratitude practice. Expressing our gratitude (even for all the little things!) can help us feel more connected and present.

I also love these simple Positive Affirmation Cards that you can take with you on the go: 52 Positive Affirmation Cards

3. Movement

Move your body. Yes, it is great to schedule time for exercise- and we should most definitely be doing that. But, adding in some simple stretches throughout the day is invaluable. Low level muscle contractions that come from stress, inefficient postures, and improper breathing can result in muscle tension and pain in the neck- or anywhere for that matter. We often think of chair yoga as an exercise for seniors- but it is really for everyone!

Here is one seated and one standing yoga stretch that you can do anytime. They are both simple and easy to follow chair yoga poses you can do to relieve tension in the shoulders and upper back and to reset your posture. All you need is a sturdy chair or counter.

Upward Facing Dog to Downward Facing Dog

• Stand next to the back of a sturdy chair with a long spine. Root down through both feet evenly.
• Place your hands lightly on the top of the chair.
• Take a deep breath here as you release the shoulders away from the ears and relax the muscles in the jaw and the forehead.
• Take an inhale as you arch the back and open through the chest (Upward Facing Dog).
• You may choose to stay here for a few breaths.
• Exhale as you return to neutral.
• Inhale to a long spine.
• On an exhale, step back, stretching the shoulders as you come into an L shape in your Downward Dog. 
• Keep the core engaged and distribute your weight evenly through the feet and both hands. 
• Breathe evenly. Take some easy neck movement here if you like. Stay here for as long as you need.
• Exhale as you step forward and return to neutral. Repeat as desired, or alternate between Downward Facing Dog and Upward Facing Dog.

Bound Hand Stretch

• Scoot forward toward the edge of your seat and sit tall with a long spine.
• Knees are bent to 90 degrees and thighs and feet are parallel.
• Place your feet evenly on the floor.
• Check in with your breath as you interlace your fingers behind your back.
• Inhale as you stretch the arms away from the body and open up through the chest.
• Exhale as you release the shoulders down and away from the ears.
• Stay here for a few breaths, ensure the muscles in the forehead and jaw are relaxed.
• On an exhale, release the stretch and bring the hands to rest on the thighs.
• Take one more deep breath.
• Repeat as desired.

4. Get Outside

Take in some nature. Get outside – even if it is for a few minutes. Listen to the sounds. Notice any birds or butterflies. How does the air feel?  Do this by yourself or with the person you are providing care for. Are you leaving or arriving at an appointment? Can you take a moment to sit outside before you move on to the next task? Can you take a few minutes and get some fresh air at some point during the day? 

5. Stay Hydrated

This last tip may sound like a no brainer- but it is really important. Staying hydrated throughout the day will have a huge impact on how you feel. Or, if you have a moment to take a break- make it a bit more relaxing by having a cup of tea, putting the phone away, and actually resting and resetting your mind.

Now, these activities are not going to solve all of your problems or take all of your stress away- but I hope that you found at least one tip that you can try today. They may seem simple – and they are- but they can really help make a difference. You may or may not notice it right away, but stick with it. At the very least, you will take a few more needed deep breaths and get in a couple of stretches. When we feel better, it is easier to take action and move forward in a positive way.

Want More Resources?

If you are interested in a quick chair yoga sequence designed specifically for caregivers and healthcare workers, check out the video below. It can be done anywhere and all you need is a sturdy chair and a little bit of space. It involves standing and sitting and you don’t need to touch the floor or take off your shoes. I do not do any spinal flexion in my chair yoga poses to be accessible to those who have osteoporosis, however this sequence does include one pose with spinal flexion (cat/cow). Do what is right for you. Try it out to see if it may be helpful. You may find there are some poses that you can easily incorporate into your day. It includes the downward facing dog stretch from above. It is short and simple and focused on relieving tension in the upper back and shoulders, with a quick stretch for the hips:

Self Care for Caregivers and Healthcare Workers: Chair Yoga Sequence

If you are interested in some planner notebooks to help keep track of your self care and tasks, you may be interested in my planner notebooks:

Habit Tracker

Daily To Do List

Take a look at Chair Yoga and the Feet? for some more simple and easy ways to relieve stress and tension right from the chair.

If you are interested in some more simple caregiver tips, take a look at Create a Smooth Discharge Home From the Hospital. 

If you are interested in learning more about how our breathing affects our mobility, I invite you to take a look at Breathing for Better Mobility.

If you or someone you care for has difficulty finding proper footwear for any number of issues, you may be interested in taking a look at ICS Shoes. They specialize in shoes for comfort, extra wide, diabetic, and orthopedic conditions. Here is an example of a women’s extra wide walking shoe: Xelero Genesis X67845.

For health and wellness related printables, take a look at The Peaceful Chair Etsy Shop.

I invite you to sign up for the Monthly Email Newsletter to keep up to date on the latest blog posts and videos.

Namaste!

Disclaimer: The Peaceful Chair and thepeacefulchair.com strongly recommends that you consult with your physician before starting this or any exercise program.The information provided on this website is for informational purposes only and is not to be used in place of medical advice or information from your healthcare provider. Neither The Peaceful Chair, the peacefulchair.com, nor any of its contributors shall be held liable for any improper or incorrect use of the information described and/or contained herein and assumes no responsibility for anyone’s use of the information contained in any links, videos, or any content on this website.