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Elderly couple doing their stretches in the park

Caregiver Burnout

Have you heard yourself or a loved one saying “I am so burned out” or “I am about to crash”? If so, you are among many who are feeling the same thing!

What exactly is a burn out? After listening to some Balance and Burnout coaches, I have learned, that a burn out, is when you get pressure from two different places. Such as struggling with the demands of a person with Parkinson’s in your life, and work responsibilities, or with younger children in your household. This can simply feel overwhelming.

The physical symptoms of burnout include fatigue headaches irritability insomnia muscle tension and other issues. It can also include a sense of hopelessness, negative feelings, having a hard time concentrating, and gastrointestinal issues.

So, what to do?

First and foremost, the burnout is really a condition based on circumstances. If you’re feeling burnt out, it simply is a result of not having a structure in place for your self-care. The basics of self-care which are sleep, nutrition, exercise, stress management and mental health. There’s no downside to taking care of those issues whether you feel burned out or not.

By the time you have reached “burnout “, simply one night’s rest, and one good meal is not going to fix it. You really need to restructure your life. You got to the point of “burnout”, because you prioritized everything else in your life ahead of yourself. To return to balance, you simply need to restructure your life.

This can start in small steps, like going to bed half an hour earlier, or eating one very healthy meal a day, or getting 10 minutes of fresh air and exercise a day.

By being committed to a balanced life of self-care, other-care, you will shortly see a restoration in your conditions!