Stress management for carers: How to avoid burnout

You may not notice the effects of carer stress at first. Perhaps you’re experiencing regular headaches, your muscles are tense or sore and you have difficulty sleeping. As time goes on, you often feel irritable, can’t concentrate, and decision-making becomes more difficult.  

To avoid getting to the point of burnout, follow these effective ways to reduce everyday symptoms of stress, which in term will improve your physical and emotional health.  

Remember that it’s important to put your own oxygen mask on before helping others. No matter how important it is to you to look after your loved one, keep in mind that in some situations, you come first. It isn’t selfish or wrong of you to take time out every once in a while, to recharge.  

You don't want to reach a point of caregiver burnout, but it’s also impossible to eliminate all stressors when you’re a carer—or it certainly feels like it. However, there are steps you can take to reduce the effects they have on you.   

If you cannot change your circumstances, you can still change your body’s reaction to stress. There are many techniques that help manage chronic stress and remind your body what it’s like to not be under constant attack. And in the technology era, it's little wonder that there's also an app for that.

It might be a good idea to schedule some regular me-time into your diary. It can be as simple as sitting in a room and listening to your favourite music, doing a hobby, reading a book, having a relaxing bath, or taking a 15-minute walk at some point of the day.  

Whatever you do, do it without your smartphone, tablet, or computer and never feel guilty about taking that time for yourself.

Exercise can help stop the build-up of stress. A brisk walk shortly after feeling stressed will deepen your breathing and help relieve muscle tension.  

Other activities such as yoga and tai chi combine fluid movements with deep breathing and mental focus, which can also induce calm.

We’re wired to seek out others just as much as we are to find food, water and shelter. Levels of stress hormone cortisol tend to be higher in lonely people, and the effects of feeling unconnected can be compared to smoking.  

So schedule in social time, make sure to prioritise friends and family in your week.  

You may not be able to eliminate stress altogether—however, you can make sure that you’re taking the appropriate measures to stay on top of your own health as well as those you care for.   

Remember, commmunity support and respite care are available for you at any time. Make sure you know when to ask for help yourself. And if it ever gets too much for you to handle alone, contact the team at Feros Care to figure out what your next step should be.   

About Feros Care: What we care most about is helping people live healthier, happier, better-connected lives. Since 1990, we’ve been making it happen, both for older Australians and people with disability.  

Our aged care and disability support services can help you in many ways. Whether you need home care, residential and respite care, some clever technology to make life easier, assistance in accessing community activities or one of our growing number of allied health and wellness solutions.