Support for Caregivers: Managing Stress While Caregiving

The term “caregiver” can be broadly characterized and includes family caregivers, professional caregivers, volunteer caregivers, and informal caregivers. Family caregivers are typically the first line of support for individuals in need of care. The individual(s) may be a spouse, child, parent, sibling, and/or extended family, or close friend.

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ – Matthew 25:40

Professional caregivers have specialized training and are licensed to care for those who need it in various settings, such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and private homes. Volunteer caregivers offer their time and skills, providing various services from transportation and delivering meals to running errands and providing emotional support, all without receiving financial compensation.

Similar to volunteer caregivers, informal caregivers provide care without payment, nor do they have professional training, but they provide support to fill the gap when other caregivers aren’t available.

Regardless of which category of caregiver you identify with, they all face a variety of challenges that can cause increased stress, which, if left unmanaged, can result in varying degrees of both physical and emotional distress. The distress experienced by the caregiver is not isolated, making managing stress a challenge.

The second and third order of effects from stress can extend beyond the caregiver’s experience, impacting others in their family and/or even broader systems and situations the caregiver is associated with.

2024 AARP research reveals that over 48 million Americans are family caregivers, with 61% juggling work and caregiving responsibilities. At some point in life, one-fifth of adults will experience being a caregiver.

When asked to identify the most challenging aspect of caregiving, time was the most reported challenge. 60% of caregivers are also holding down a full-time job. 72% of reported caregivers experience intense emotional stress, of which 65% report increased stress balancing work, family, and caregiving responsibilities.

Managing stress while caregiving is crucial to maintain physical and mental health. Finding a way to ride the waves of stressful situations and life changes is essential, as is building emotional resilience.

Tips for Managing Stress as a Caregiver

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. – Psalm 55:22

The following are tips for managing stress. Choose a few tips to try this week, then ask yourself what worked best for your circumstances. What do you need to shift in your life, or what new skill do you need to learn to make this happen more often?

You may need to learn time management skills to effectively plan your days around work, responsibilities, caregiving, and self-care. A therapist can help you tweak a few time management methods to fit your life so that you can accomplish more while also having more time for rest.

Boost your endorphins

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” – John 14:27

A great way to boost your endorphins, those feel-good chemicals, is to engage in some form of exercise that will activate the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The PNS is the opposite of the fight-or-flight response. The body is not in a stressful state when the PNS is activated. Instead, the body is in a more relaxed state, allowing tense muscles to release and digestion to improve.

Exercise that activates the PNS includes walking, swimming, and biking. You want to choose a form of activity that does not add extra stress to the body, as you experience with weightlifting or excessive HIIT workouts (high-intensity interval training). There is a place for these forms of activities. Ask your physician if now is a good time to practice those activities in your life.

Stretch

“Do not be wise in your own sight; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” – Proverbs 3:7-8

Elongating the muscles with stretching promotes relaxation and is excellent for managing stress. Have you noticed how your shoulders tend to pull up toward your ears when stressed? You are holding onto extra stress in this area, which can strain your shoulders, upper back, lower back, and hips. It also adds more strain to your neck muscles, leading to headaches.

When you notice your shoulders are close to your ears, take a deep breath and slowly lower your shoulders, and then exhale the breath. Take time to practice deep breathing. Stretching combined with breathwork can lower stress levels and reduce anxiety. You can find short videos online that you can do for five, ten, or fifteen minutes in the morning or before bed.

Rediscover your hobbies

“There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil.” – Ecclesiastes 2:24-25

While caregiving, we place our own hobbies and interests on the back burner. Yet, these are the activities that bring us joy and fulfillment. List the activities you enjoy but have not had the time to engage in recently. Can you spend some time doing these? Remember, every good thing we enjoy comes from God.

Paul reminds us in Philippians to focus our minds on things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise! This can be a checklist when discovering or rediscovering healthy hobbies that bring you joy, give glory to God, and relieve stress.

Ask for support from family members, friends, or organizations to allow you to spend some time pursuing your own hobby or interest. For example, if your loved one is in hospice, you may request that they stay at the hospice house for a few days so you can participate in a hobby. Whatever brings your soul refreshment, joy, and peace, seek that frequently while caregiving.

Make self-care a priority

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. – 1 Corinthians 6:19

Just as we tend to place our own hobbies on the back burner while caregiving, we lower our own physical and mental needs on our to-do list. Perhaps you liked to get your hair and nails done monthly, but it has been several months since you have done it because your loved one’s needs take precedence.

You might feel guilty or ashamed for wanting to take some “me-time” to indulge in a beauty ritual, walk around a shop, or simply do the things that maintain your wellness.

These little downtimes are not selfish. God commands us to take care of ourselves. Scripture says to love your neighbor as yourself, which implies that you love yourself already. If you love yourself, you care for yourself, and then you give care to others. Everyone needs some time to relax and regroup mentally.

Think of your brain as a computer processor with several open tabs. You notice your mind is running slower, you are having trouble concentrating, and you are becoming irritable or are experiencing crying jags from the stress.

Taking time to indulge in something good for your body or mind helps reset those tabs. List a few self-care tasks you want to accomplish this week or month.

Prioritize sleep

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30

He gives his beloved sleep. – Psalm 127:2

Not getting enough sleep can lead to higher levels of anxiety and depression. God wants to refresh the weary and satisfy the faint! Sleep deprivation can leave you in a brain fog, irritable, and with little patience. Not enough restorative sleep can also cause the hormone cortisol to rise, adding a rapid heart rate, higher blood pressure, larger waistline, and weight gain to the mix. This increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Aim for at least seven to nine hours of sleep nightly. This can be challenging when caring for a loved one. Try to encourage an evening routine to help your loved one (and you) wind down for the night. For example, maybe after dinner and clean up, read to your loved one or watch something on television together. Use scented lotion to help relax your loved one or play soothing music. Add your own nightly routine to tell your brain it is time to rest.

Tap resources for support

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2

If you have accepted the responsibilities as a caregiver, be sure to ask other family members and friends to lend a hand. Sometimes, we are reluctant to ask for help, afraid that others will believe we cannot manage the care of our loved ones. However, asking for help is not a sign of weakness, and you may be surprised to know that others want to help but are unsure how. Be forthright in what you need, as these people love your loved one, too.

Some organizations offer support. Often, you can find support groups for caregivers based on the diagnosis of your loved one. You may find groups locally or online for cancer, COPD, Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease. Ask your local hospital or physician’s office if they know of any resources in your community.

Spend time in prayer

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. – Psalm 145:18

If prayer seems like a last resort, try making it the first thing you do in the mornings before you get out of bed. Relinquishing the day to God when you feel weak allows you to carry on knowing that He is in control. God will make a way and give you strength beyond what is possible for you by yourself.

God gives us peace that passes all understanding, even when our heart feels broken watching a loved one suffer. The more you talk to God, the more you will rely on Him and His provision. You will see His hand in your life. Take a few minutes each morning and again at night as you climb into bed to praise Him and thank Him for another day to spend with your loved one. Notice how your perspective changes.

Caregiver help is only a click away

Are you feeling burned out caring for a loved one? Does that make you feel guilty or even ashamed? Do you feel like there are no alternatives? Are you struggling with managing stress? You do not have to go it alone. Contact our office today to schedule a session with a therapist in Texas who specializes in helping caregivers. Your therapist can offer solutions and techniques for managing stress and helping you be the best version of yourself. This is for you and for the one you are caring for.