The Vitality Doctor

How to Maintain Mental and Physical Health as a Caregiver

By on Jan 12, 2017 in Blog |

Employed in a caregiving role can be exhausting. From doctors and nurses to social workers and psychologists, it can be hard to leave the stressful side of work at work. When becoming a caregiver, individuals do so because they want to help others. However, in many cases, help is not accepted or just doesn’t help. Being a caregiver can be stressful as well as mentally exhausting. You must learn how to deal physically and mentally to be able to maintain your employment position and live a successful and happy life.

Physical Effects

As a caregiver, you may soon begin to see physical effects from the job including feeling stressed, anxious or even angry. You may not be sleeping due to such feelings which can leave you feeling tired and worn down. It is important to learn the best way for you to rest and truly sleep. Find ways to relax before bedtime and try to get as much sleep as possible, eight hours is a must if you can swing it. Resting will help you to feel refreshed and ready to tackle the day.

Mental Effects

In your role as a caregiver, you will find that you are mentally affected by your patients. You may become attached and feel a loss when a patient is hurting or passes away. This is part of your job and something you must be able to deal with. Find ways of expressing your emotions so that you do not experience mental effects that will be harmful to your relationships with friends and family as well as harm yourself.

Work with a professional such as Dr. Marilyn Joyce to learn how you can cope as a caregiver. Dr. Joyce works with caregivers in many roles to help them learn how to remain full of energy and stress free, living a happy and productive life.