As any caregiver can tell you, care giving is more than just taking care of your loved one’s physical health. Truly giving care means providing emotional support, socialization, and intellectual stimulation. However, many caregivers often sacrifice their own self-care in order to ensure they are fully caring for others.

It makes sense. Being a caregiver can be hard work, so any sort of short-cut, even if it means cutting out self-care, can seem appealing. But sacrificing me-time can lead to dangerous levels of burnout—reducing focus and increasing fatigue. For this reason, it is important to always be a self-caregiver when caring for someone else.

To jump start your new role as a self-caregiver, here are three tips to make the most of your me-time:

• Practice Mindfulness: If your focus is always on other people, then it can be hard to get in touch with your own thoughts and feelings. To combat this, many caregivers are turning to mindfulness meditation for self care.  It’s easier than it sounds. Mindfulness is simply the practice of slowing down your day and focusing on how YOU feel. For instance, when was the last time you paid attention to what it feels like to take a nice walk? Whether it means focusing on parts of your day that you already enjoy or going on YouTube and finding a seated meditation, mindfulness is a positive way to reconnect and refresh.

• Treat Yourself: Caregivers deserve a little pampering too! Though treating yourself may seem like a non-necessity, that candy bar or salon visit can actually have a big impact on your mood. Treating yourself every once-in-a-while can pull you out of your daily rut and remind you that your work as a caregiver is something worth celebrating. This reminder will boost your day-to-day positivity and confidence, making you well-rested enough to take on your care giving role.

• Get Some Sleep: We all know what difference a good night’s sleep can make. From improving mood to improving health, those precious 8 hours do so much for our well-being. Unfortunately, caregivers have a lot on their minds and often lose sleep because of it. If you can, try putting aside your caregiver duties one-hour before you go to sleep. Set that time aside for winding down (away from the TV!) and preparing to go to bed. If that hour is not an option, a quick 20 minute nap in the day can serve as a quick self care fix. Bottom line: your body needs sleep so find time for it!

However you decide to be a better self-caregiver, the important thing is that you find respite in the day.  Everyone needs a break and a caregiver is no exception. That is one of the reasons Naperville Senior Center is in existence; to create a ‘home away from home’ for your senior loved one AND give the caregiver, you, time to yourself. Whether you need time to run errands, work in the garden, catch up on chores, be more productive at work, get to the gym, take a class or just take a nap, we provide a safe, fun environment for our Members.

Each day our Members spend time socializing, verbalizing, improvising, evangelizing, visualizing, exercising, having fun, and a host of other activities to provide mental and physical stimulation.

Call to action: to learn more about how NSC can provide a respite for you and a great social environment for your loved one, contact our Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, Theresa, at 630.857.3017. You can also schedule a tour to see what we have to offer and understand the Naperville Senior Center experience, “Home Away From Home.