Family caregivers are more prone to stress than most people. Their responsibilities are time consuming, sometimes making them feel like they are spread too thin. Then, of course, there are the emotional aspects of caregiving that cause stress. Because stress has a negative impact on health, it’s important that caregivers find ways to manage it. One way to deal with stress that experts often recommend is meditation.

Signs of Caregiver Stress

To recognize whether you’re suffering from caregiver stress, it’s important to know what the signs are. If you have any of the following signs, you may be affected by caregiver stress:

• Feelings of frustration, anger, and helplessness.
• A sense of being isolated from others.
• Changes in your sleeping habits, such as sleeping to much or not enough.
• Fluctuations in weight.
• Fatigue.
• Lack of interest in hobbies or other activities you once enjoyed.
• Getting angry easily.
• Physical symptoms like frequent body aches and headaches.

Health Benefits of Meditation

People have practiced meditation for thousands of years. While it began as a means of spiritual connection, it is often used today to help people reduce stress. When you meditate, you focus on your breathing and block out thoughts about the things that worry you.

Meditation has been linked to benefits like:

• An ability to see things from a new perspective.
• Learning new skills to deal with stress.
• Reduction of negative thoughts.
• Improvement of medical conditions that are affected by stress, like asthma, heart disease, and chronic pain.

Creating a Meditation Space

In truth, meditation can be practiced anywhere. However, it can be nice for caregivers to have a space dedicated to meditation. Creating a meditation space doesn’t require that you have an entire room just for that purpose. You can simply use a small space in an existing room. You could even make a meditation space outside. Here are some ideas for creating a meditation space:

• Start with a space that already makes you happy.
• Remove clutter and distractions from the area, and keep the room clean, so it will be more pleasant.
• Improve the lighting so that it works well for the time of day you usually meditate. If the space has natural lighting, you may want to use sheers or blinds to dim the lighting a bit. Or, if you meditate at night, you might want to use candles.
• Add a plant, cut flowers, or some other form of nature. Research shows that connections to nature are calming.
• Add personal touches that make you happy, like pictures of loved ones or other items.
• Use incense or candles to make the space smell good.

If you’re uncertain how to begin meditating, you may be able to find classes in your community. Check with the local hospital or conduct an Internet search to find a class near you.

Sources

https://www.aarp.org/home-family/your-home/info-2018/create-meditation-space.html?intcmp=AE-HP-TOT-POS2-REALPOSS-TODAY
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7199/6-tips-to-create-a-meditation-space.html
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858
https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/caregiver-stress

If you or an aging loved one are considering caregivers in West Memorial, TX, please call the caring staff at At Your Side Home Care. We will answer all of your senior care questions. Call today: (832) 271-1600.

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Donna Wrabel, LMSW

Co-Owner at At Your Side Home Care

For most of us, the word "home" evokes warm feelings of comfort, security and well-being. For older adults, home also means holding tight to cherished memories and maintaining self-esteem and independence. When illness, injury or age make life a little more challenging, remaining at home in a comfortable, familiar environment encourages recovery and enhances the quality of life. Home can be defined as a private residence, an independent or assisted living facility or even a short term stay in the hospital, we recognize the additional benefits provided by a personal, professional assistant.

Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.

Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week

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