You’ve been tossing and turning in bed for hours because you can’t sleep. Earlier in the day you were over at your elderly mother’s house and noticed that her health, no matter how hard you try, just keeps getting worse. Tomorrow the kids have ballgames, you’ve got to go to the office for a few hours and mom has a doctor’s appointment that you promised to take her to. Suddenly you feel your heart beating faster and your hands getting clammy. Unfortunately, caregiver anxiety is a common problem for family caregivers. Use these tips to keep it under control.

How Caregiver Anxiety Affects You

In general, anxiety is caused by different triggers. Caregiver anxiety oftentimes results from feeling stressed out because you’re constantly worrying about your loved one, and maybe even second-guessing the care that you are providing them with. Let unaddressed, caregiver anxiety can lead to these physical and emotional problems:

  • Trembling
  • Sweating
  • Heart palpitations
  • Insomnia
  • Fatigue
  • Mental anguish

Allowing that chronic worrying to continue will eventually place your health and wellbeing at risk.

Kicking Caregiver Anxiety to the Curb

Fortunately, chronic worrying is a mental habit that can be broken using the right approach. Here are some ways to reduce stress and worry so that you can ultimately kick caregiver anxiety to the curb for good:

Recognize the Physical Signs

Pay attention to your body so that you notice when you are feeling nervous and stressed out. Signs to be aware of include shortness of breath, a queasy sensation in your stomach, or whenever your heart is pounding too fast or too strong. All of these are your body’s natural way of responding to anxiety and stress. Now that you are aware of the symptoms, it’s time to find ways to manage them.

Try Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation exercises like deep breathing can help quickly alleviate the mental and physical aspects of caregiver anxiety. Muscle relaxation techniques also work well, as does Yoga, Tai Chi, meditation or prayer.

Avoid Bad Habits

Scientists have determined that poor lifestyle choices like drinking alcohol or caffeinated beverages to excess, smoking tobacco products, eating a poor diet high in sugar, or taking too many over-the-counter cold remedies can all trigger anxiety. Replace those unhealthy habits with positive ones.

You’re Not Nostradamus

One of the main reasons why chronic worriers are that way is because they want to know with 100% certainty what the future holds. Even Nostradamus was wrong a few times, and you can’t predict the future or control what happens in every situation. Stop thinking about everything that could go wrong and focus on what you are doing right. If worrying about something like how mom is going to pay her hospital bills isn’t helpful, quit doing it for the sake of your own sanity.

Establish a “Worry-Free” Zone

Worries affect our minds much like text messages on our phones. They pop up without warning throughout the day, and we feel this urgency to address them immediately. If you simply must worry about your loved one’s care, set aside a half hour each day to get those worries out of your system. But once that’s done, designate the rest of the day as a “worry-free” zone. If something to fret about comes up during those off hours, jot it down on paper and wait until your specified “worry period” the next day to get it off your chest.

We Provide Temporary Relief for Caregiver Anxiety

If you’re still having trouble dealing with caregiver anxiety after taking these steps, it may be time to take a temporary break, or “respite”, from your caregiving duties. Contact Seniors Prefer Homecare, and we’ll provide the reliable assistance necessary so that you can get recharged. As a fully licensed and insured home care agency, our carefully screened respite caregivers are well trained to help aging in place seniors continue to enjoy all the comforts of home while restoring your peace of mind.

Our in-home assistance care and companionship care services include light housework, personal hygiene, meals, medication reminders and transportation. And, all our amenities can be individually tailored into an affordable package when and where you need them! To learn more about Seniors Prefer Homecare now, or to schedule a FREE consultation for a senior in Huntsville or Tuscaloosa, AL, today, please visit us at: www.seniorspreferhomecare.com.