Caregiver Burnout

As a caregiver, we are responsible for our loved one’s care, often at the risk of ignoring our own self-care. We wear many hats and worry about many things: medical needs, safety, scheduling appointments, medication management, IEPs, surgeries, following therapy suggestions, and the unknown.

If you are constantly providing care as a caregiver and not aware of how to pause to take care of you, you are more susceptible to caregiver burnout.

What is caregiver burnout?

Caregiver burnout is defined as a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion attributed to caregiving.

What does caregiver burnout look like?

Symptoms of burnout can include: fatigue, depression, anxiety, being cut off from other people, changes in appetite/weight, frequent illness, memory loss, loss of interest in activities, and changes in your own physical health.

So what can you do? 

There are some smaller and some larger changes that you can make to help reduce the effects of caregiver burnout. Aim to make one change at a time until that change is sustainable. Plan ahead and make you a priority so that you can best care for your loved one with a disability.

• Drink more water

• Get enough sleep

• Get back to nature

• Join a support group

• Exercise regularly

• Take a break from caregiving, even just 5-10 minutes away can make a difference

• Ask for help and be able to accept help when it is offered

• Take care of your health

• Stop feeling guilty and know your self-worth

• Do something for yourself

• Meditate and practice other methods of mindfulness (Open Up, anyone?)

• See a therapist

• Find a way to escape in a good book or movie

• Don’t lose your own identity

• Prioritize your tasks and allow yourself a little grace when you don’t get to them all

• Seek out respite care

After you make a change, do a “feelings check in” with yourself or a trusted friend who can help you evaluate how that change positively impacted you. Remember that caregiving can be a marathon. Pace yourself. Breathe deep often and nourish your soul frequently so that you can be the wonderful caregiver that you are for a long time to come!

Nourish Your Soul in Nature

Connecting with nature is both scientifically and fundamentally known to have a positive impact on our mindset and our health. Yet, most of us don’t make time to incorporate it into our self-care routine. In the Information Age, connecting with nature can have an even more profound effect on our mindset and stress levels as we disconnect from our screens. Practice self-care and nourish your soul in nature for better health.

Here are some ways to incorporate nature into your self-care plan:

• Put your feet in the grass. When you are barefoot outdoors, you make a connection to Earth that positively impacts your health. It can increase antioxidants, reduce inflammation, improve your well-being and improve sleep.

• Hug a tree. Yes, really! Tree hugging is known to increase your oxytocin levels.  Guess what that hormone can do? It can help with calming, emotional bonding and trust.

• Start and maintain a garden. Gardening can reduce cortisol levels, which means less stress and improved mood. Gardening can also help you to focus and increase your self-esteem.

• Take a hike or practice Forest Bathing. Hiking can improve memory, brain function and sleep quality. Forest Bathing is practicing mindfulness within the trees by using deep breathing and using your senses to take notice of nature. This practice can decrease blood pressure and pulse rate which leads to overall calming.

• Bring nature indoors. Taking care of indoor plants has similar benefits to outdoor gardening: it reduces stress and anxiety while increasing our happiness. If taking care of plants isn’t for you, bring some nature photography into your home.

• Connect with animals. Things like bird watching or squirrel watching can force us to be patient and to appreciate the simpler things in life. You might even find yourself laughing at the silly things that animals do, and we all know that laughter is “the best medicine.”

• Go camping. Camping can have emotional, social and mental benefits since it forces us to connect with nature and with others that we are camping with. If an overnight camping experience in the woods isn’t for you, even backyard camping can be beneficial. Benefits include better relationships, better sleep, improved memory, and reduced stress.

Schedule nature into your self-care plan to start feeling the benefits of nature today! 

About the Author

Jaime Mahramas is a LEND Trainee who holds a B.A. in Psychology from Allegheny College. She has three sons, including her oldest who has multiple disabilities, and is an active supporter and advocate within the disability community. Jaime's goals include empowering people with disabilities, better connecting individuals and families to available resources and expanding existing resources.