Are You in Need of a Break as a Family Caregiver?

Many family caregivers don’t like the idea of taking a break at all, but if you’re not doing that, you are probably running into more than one of these issues.

You’re Sleep Deprived.

Caregiver in Des Plaines IL: Signs You Need a Break

Caregiver in Des Plaines IL: Signs You Need a Break

Sleep is essential when you’re a family caregiver, but it’s also one of the first things that you’re likely to give up when your schedule becomes crazy. Whether you’re not able to get to sleep or you’re too busy to sleep, that is getting you to a situation in which you’re deprived of the sleep that you need. Taking some time away can fix that.

You’re Grabbing Any Old Food.

After sleep, food is one of the more important aspects of your self-care plan. What you put into your body is what fuels it. So if you’re eating a lot of empty calories, junk food, and processed foods, your body isn’t getting the nutrients that it needs in order to keep running like you want it to run. Take the time to sort out what you should be eating and look for ways to make it easy to eat what you need to be eating.

You Can’t Remember When You Exercised Last.

Your body needs to move in order to stay as healthy as possible. Exercise helps your brain just as much as it helps your body, so for an activity that helps your entire being stay healthy, you can’t beat exercise. You don’t have to do a lot of exercise in order to reap the benefits, either. Start out slowly and with something you love to do and then stick with it.

You’re Sick, But You’re Not in Bed.

When you let yourself get run down, you find that you wind up picking up every single bug out there. But as your loved one’s primary caregiver, you don’t have the time to be sick, right? That can lead to you being sick but refusing to give yourself time to heal. This can lead to you bringing illnesses to your loved one, so it’s worth taking the time to recover.

Once you recover from the situation that you’re in currently, it’s time to make a plan to take regular breaks. As a family caregiver, you have to practice self-care, too.

If you or an aging loved one are considering caregiver services in Des Plaines, IL, contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786. Our home care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas.

Jamie Shapiro