- Breathe deeply
As a caregiver, there are moments where your frustration, anger, or anxiety will spike to overwhelming levels. When that happens, breathing deeply is your best friend. It forces you to pause and calm down so you can better deal with whatever is happening. Breathing is the first step in the Relaxation Response which we describe in our book and elsewhere on this site.
Navy SEALs use deep breathing techniques to calm themselves during life-threatening situations like searching for hidden bombs. If it works for those guys and gals, it won’t hurt to give it a try!
caregiver relaxation drawing by Lin Larsen
2. Reach out
Leaning on the people in your support system is an effective way to reduce stress. We all need to vent, hear a friendly voice, or escape the responsibility for a while.
It doesn’t matter if you connect in person, on the phone, on video chat, or in an online group. The point is to reach out to people who are there for you and can help you feel better when you’re especially down.
3. Exercise
Getting up and moving is a great way to burn off stress and improves overall health. Regular exercise helps ward off conditions that commonly plague caregivers, like depression and heart disease.
Walking and Pedaling
Walk briskly every day for a half hour in your neighborhood or on a treadmill in your home. If you don’t have a treadmill, either march in place at the kitchen counter or set up a circuit that you can walk in your home. Listening to music makes this a little more enjoyable. Or you can pedal on a stationary bike, building up gradually in 5– minute increments to a 20 to 30 minute session, four to five times per week.
Remember, pay attention to your breathing and keep a positive frame of mind. Your worries will come and then drift away like clouds going across the sky. Don’t dwell on them, just let them go.
This walking or biking time is your time. Don’t let anything distract you from it. You will build up a routine and really start to enjoy it. Ask anyone who walks or exercises if they ever want to miss a session. They probably don’t. They love it. It becomes a vital part of their daily life. It’s just a matter of getting started
For more steps and a complete discussion of relaxation and stress relieving techniques see our book, Caregiver Revolution!
