Did you know that caregivers, regardless of their age, are less likely to practice self-care than those who are not caring for someone else? They are also less likely to take advantage of the preventative health care options that are available to them.
If that is you, or someone that you love, I am here to tell you that YOU are important too.
During this two-part series we will identify the symptoms of caregiver fatigue and talk about some fun ways that you can help care for yourself while caring for others.
Often, when we are faced with the need to care for someone with a chronic health condition, we are so focused on taking care of their needs that we often forget or neglect our own. How many times have you, as a caregiver, put off your own health care appointment? How many times have you said “No thank you, I am fine” when someone asked you if they could help? Probably too many to count.
I am sure that you have heard the safety talk on an airplane many times. Those flight attendants know something that most of us don’t. You can’t help someone if you do not help yourself first.
Caregiver burnout and fatigue is an all-too-common state of mental, physical, and/or emotional exhaustion that happens when your personal needs are not met while caring for others. Some of the common symptoms that may suggest caregiver burn out are:
- Feeling easily overwhelmed or stressed.
- Waking up with anxiety.
- Extreme tiredness, feeling exhausted even after rest, or sleeplessness.
- Inability to relax and let go even when there is help available.
- Increasing frustration and irritability with those around you.
- Repeated personal illnesses (cold, flu, etc.) and exacerbations (flare-ups) of chronic health conditions.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms of caregiver fatigue, there is good news!! There are several things that you can do to help reduce stress and burnout.
The first step is recognizing how your body responds to the stress in your life. Even positive things like a wedding or a new baby can create stressful reactions. Take some time to “check in” with your body and your emotions. This is a quick and easy process and can be done anywhere or anytime.
Let’s see what this process would look like as part of your morning routine.
- When you wake up in the morning, before you jump into your day, take a minute, close your eyes, and take a few deep breaths.
- Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Take a minute to just be present. Allow yourself to begin to relax.
- Notice the rhythm of your breathing. Notice how your body feels. Are there places that seem stiff or painful? Do you have butterflies in your stomach? Is your breathing slow and steady, or shallow and rushed?
- Let your awareness move to your emotional state. Do you feel peaceful and excited about the day, or do you feel overwhelmed and anxious already?
Waking up already feeling stressed or anxious is a sign of burnout or overwhelm. It is also a red flag that your nervous system is overloaded, and you may be stuck in a fight or flight response. Breathing exercises can help your body relax and get out of that state of overwhelm.
Diaphragmatic breathing helps activate the relaxation response from your nervous system, lowers your body’s stress response, and helps to get oxygen into your body.
- Find a comfortable position and place one hand on your upper chest and the other over your abdomen.
- Take a deep breath in through your nose. Focus on filling your lungs from the bottom to the top. The hand on your abdomen should rise.
- Slowly breathe out through your mouth with pursed lips.
- Pay attention to how your breath feels. Allow yourself to be fully present. If your mind wanders, bring your attention back to your breath.
- Whenever you start to feel stressed out, stop, take a few minutes to practice diaphragmatic breathing.
Practicing thankfulness and movement can also help relieve fatigue and lower your body’s stress responses. Stay tuned for more information on those practices in part two of this article coming next month.
Remember, YOU are important too!
What are some ways that you combat stress and burnout? Let’s chat!