Last week I yapped about the impawtance of self compassion & pawsonal care for the caregiver. If you missed it paw ‘Taking Care of The Caregiver’ to read it.
We dogscussed who is a caregiver & how being a caregiver can have many rewards. For most caregivers, being there when a loved one needs you is a core value & something you wish to pawvide but it can come with some emotional & physical stress. Those experiencing this kind of stress can be at risk to changes in their own health. Some of which can be social isolation, depression, financial difficulties & lack of support emotionally, physically & financially. We nose as a caregiver, it is easy to become more focused on your loved one that you don’t realize that your own health & well-being are suffering.
In last weeks post we also dogscussed common signs of caregiver stress & some things you can do to help manage that stress. We also shared a pawsome App huMom uses. A 60 Second Meditation Tool To Help Clear Your Mind.
We also pawmised to share some techniques huMom uses to ground herself if she get’s overwhelmed or too anxious. They really help reset & regulate the nervous system and calm the vagus nerve.
Some techniques huMom uses & we hope you will try when you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious are:
- Press & pulsate on the different sides of your thumb
- Standing on your toes & then quickly allowing your foot to drop onto your heals (5-7 times)
- Hum & sing
- Practice the 4-7-8 breathing exercise (inhale for 4, hold for 7 and exhale for 8)
- Try box breathing by breathing out slowly all the air from your lungs. Then breath in through your nose slowly to the count of 4 (count in your head & be conscious of the air filling your lungs & stomach), then hold your breath to the count of 4, exhale to a count of 4, and then hold your breath to a count of 4. Repeat for 3 to 4 rounds.
- HuMom really loves the ‘Soles of your Feet’ walking meditation where you walk slowly & really focus on the sensations of walking.
- Another helpful thing to get out of your head when ruminating and/or feeling anxious is to connect with your senses: see 5 things, feel 4 things, hear 3 things, smell 2 things & taste 1 thing.
- Do soothing touch. Mindful movement or just dance.
We truly hope you will try some of these techniques to help you manage stress, regulate your nervous system & calm the vagus nerve.
Remember you can’t help others if you don’t care for yourself. Nose you matter, you are cared for, & you are loved.
💜nose nudges💜
Have a pawsome week, CEO Olivia, Dot, Jerry Underfoot & Eddy 💜
PS 🐾 Looking for wagnifient healthy & furbulously fun toys or pawsibly a supplement for the well being of your pawtacular good dog or cat? Shop Naturally
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Those sound like great techniques. And this is the pawfect time of year to start implementingf thewm! Thank you for sharing. May your holidays be furry and bright with lots of peace. 💜
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Thank you 💜
Happy Howlidays! May they be filled with love, laugher, joy & many treats to Elsa & Wilson!
💜nose nudges💜
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🐾❣️
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💜nose nudges💜
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