5 Tips to Stay Physically Fit as a Caregiver

It is essential for you to emphasize on your senior loved one’s health and fitness as a family caregiver. While it’s natural to prioritize your loved one’s needs, that doesn’t imply you should neglect your own physical and mental well-being. Eventually, the healthier you are, the more likely you are to be able to offer the best care for your loved one. Caregivers have demanding schedules. Most people care for a senior loved one while simultaneously working part-time and raising their own family. It often becomes hectic for a caregiver to manage everything in life together. However, it has been made easier through the Whittier assisted living facility which provides a range of services that help seniors in performing activities of daily living.

It’s easy to postpone workout until tomorrow when the days are endless and time is limited. Due to the busy schedule, fatigue might also be a factor. It is tough to remain motivated to exercise when you are already drained, but it is essential. During this miserable time in life, exercise is the best method to protect your health and well-being. Thus, here are a few tips that you can follow to stay physically fit.

Breathing techniques

Oxygen is required by every organ in the body. Breathing techniques help in improving mood and alleviating insomnia, digesting food, reducing stress levels, and increasing immune response. It further enhances physical energy which helps the caregiver go through the day. Pilates and Yoga are two kinds of exercises that develop better breathing skills. Incorporating these exercises in your daily routine or even a few times a week will help to alleviate caregiver stress and anxiety. Therefore, the caregiver should take a few minutes in the morning to perform various breathing exercises to relieve anxiety and relax.

Workout routine for a caregiver

Taking a healthy diet and staying hydrated will help you preserve the energy you need to care for your loved one appropriately. Regular workout and adequate sleep can improve your mood, ease stress, strengthen your immune system, maintain strength, and keep you attentive and cognitively alert. Incorporate exercise into your morning routine. Each night, keep your workout clothing and shoes by your nightstand to remind you to do it before the day begins.  Carers usually suffer neck pain and backache, gastrointestinal issues, and migraines. Exercise is one of the most effective strategies to relax and strengthen your tense muscles.

Don’t overlook the importance of strength training

Make time for strength training on days when you can’t afford to go outside or visit the gym due to tough schedules. Pulling older loved ones into and out of the chairs and beds necessitates a strong core. The space surrounding your trunk and pelvis where your center of gravity is located is called the core. It further improves the cardiovascular fitness which enhances stamina. Greater stamina helps caregivers cope with the busy and often exhausting days they experience.

Sitting Activities

Engaging in exercise that you and the senior you are caring for can accomplish together is another approach to enhance your physical activity. Sittercise, chair yoga and other kinds of sitting exercises can all help you in staying physically fit and active. Physical activities such as seated exercises release happy hormones known as endorphins that help to improve mood, control appetite, and enhance the immune system. Thus, it’s a great idea to perform seated exercises with your loved one without wasting any time.

Brisk Walk

Going to the gym may sound appealing, but it may not be feasible If you waste time prepping for clothes, driving to and from the gym, and organising alternative care for your loved one while you are at the gym. Instead, a brisk walk around the block can suffice as exercise. It’s a wonderful way of relaxing, meditating, being alone, and gathering one’s thoughts. Do not consider this as a poor workout. Regular brisk walking has been shown in numerous studies to be one of the most effective ways to improve physical as well as mental health. Walking helps in releasing stress, enhancing stamina, and regaining energy and strength. When you go for a walk, you should walk briskly to raise your heart rate. You should feel like you’ve put in some effort. One way to know if you are getting a decent workout is if you are breaking a sweat. Another indicator is to pay attention to your breathing. It should get shallower yet still allow you to carry on a conversation. If you are unable to do that, you need to slow down.