06 Aug Caregiver Tips to Relieve Stress

 Are you a Caregiver?  Try These Mental Activities to Help Tame Stress

As a caregiver of a person with dementia or any degenerative neurological condition, you might experience a lot of stress and mental fatigue. Taking care of such patients requires a tremendous amount of physical work as well as mental stability, strength and control. The sad part is, this mental condition of the patient keeps getting worse and at some point the caregiver might find themselves fatigued by stress.

In order to take good care of your patient, you must also take good care of yourself. You must, occasionally, give yourself a break and relax with stress relieving activities. These activities don’t always have to be physical exercises. There are many activities that prove to be extremely helpful in rewinding your mind to help you think clear and positively.

Caregiver Stress Reducing Activities

Here is a list of some activities that will help you tame your stress without requiring too much time, effort or energy.

• Seek Solitude – While meditation may not be very easy to perform for all of us, sitting quietly for a while may help you find bits of inner peace and comfort you seek. Find a place which gets good amount of sun light and sit quietly for a while. Don’t let your mind wander towards all the problems you need to solve and all the tasks that need to be finished.  Try to  clear your mind like a blank canvas, and if that is not possible think only of positive things.

• Remember & Rejoice – Sitting quietly with a mind blank of all thoughts is not possible for everyone. Our mind starts diverting towards stressful thoughts. Try steering it towards the right road by thinking of all the good times that have gone by. Take out an old album and rejoice all those good memories. Think of how times change and try to see how there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

• Aromatherapy – Pleasant sights, sounds and smell are all helpful in rewinding your senses and brightening your mood. In this aspect, smell is perhaps the sense most strongly linked with our memory and moods. So relieve in a room full of pleasant smells such as lavender, citrus, vanilla, cinnamon, peppermint, fresh cut grass.

• Pamper Yourself – Think of all the things you love and love to do. If possible, take a few minutes out of your schedule to enjoy those things.

• Laugh and Smile – Do anything that makes you smile and laugh for a while. It can be a classic comedy movie or a modern day sitcom. You can also go through funny pictures of animals or cute kids.

• Read – Reading is always such a pleasure. Books can temporarily take you away from the real world to a world full of imagination and adventure. Read a book which sparks hope and positivity and ends with a happy ever after. You will feel full of new and positive energy.

• Books on Tape – If you wish to give your eyes a rest, let you ears take the burden for a while. Buy a bunch of audio books reciting your favorite classics.

• Soothing Sounds – Music has the ability to touch deep down into your soul. Make your mind and spirit relax with soothing music or sounds of nature.

• Recite a Hymn – Hymns will give you a spiritual boost. Look through the Hymnal and see if you find a hymn you can hum during the day.

• Pray or Read from Scripture – Gather your hope and faith back by spending a moment in prayer. Connect with your spiritual caregiver and find the strength you need to perform your noble duty.

If you are the caregiver or loved one of someone who has been diagnosed with dementia, it’s very important for you to effectively cope with stress.  The staff of Palm Beach Neurological Center are experts in patient care.  Contact us or click here if you need to schedule an appointment for evaluation or treatment of your loved one who is suffering the effects of dementia.