Caregiver Stress Relief: Hearing

Taking on the role of being a family caregiver for your elderly loved one can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling decisions that you have ever made. No matter how close your relationship with your parent is or how good you feel about giving them the care that they need, however, you are likely to find that being a caregiver can also be extremely stressful.

Whether it is handling the cognitive changes that come with serious conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, managing the needs of a life-threatening or terminal physical illness, balancing your care efforts for your parent with being a parent yourself, or any other challenge, you may find moments when you feel completely overwhelmed.

Not only is caregiver stress difficult on you mentally and emotionally, but it can also lead to serious problems physically. When you face stress regularly, you are at risk of suffering headaches, fatigue, aches and pains, digestive problems, increased vulnerability to illnesses and infections, and other health complications and issues.

Integrating stress relief and management into your caregiver routine will help you to protect yourself and to ensure that you are doing everything that you can for your loved one throughout the course of your care journey with them.

3 Ways to Find Stress Relief Through Hearing

Let these ideas inspire you for ways that you can use your sense of hearing to help you with your caregiver stress relief.

1. Call a Loved One

Talking to a loved one can be a fantastic way to help you relax and feel less stressed. Just hearing the voice of someone who is important to you can calm you down, make you feel happier, and help you to feel more in control. Schedule a time every day to talk to your partner or your children for a few minutes between care efforts. Plan to have a phone call with your siblings or best friend a few times a week or once a week.

2. Listen to Music

Music is a powerful means of reaching your emotions and nurturing your mind. Listening to music when you are feeling stressed can help you to relax, release emotion, and calm down. Listening to energetic, upbeat music can boost your energy and help you to feel more capable of taking on your challenges. Put several of your favorite songs on your phone so that you can access them during the day when you are having a stressful moment and make sure that they are accessible when you are in your vehicle traveling.

3. Consider a Sound Machine

One of the major effects of stress is the inability to relax and sleep. Using a sound machine can be extremely helpful in calming your body down and helping you to rest. Look for a sound machine that features options that you find soothing, such as waves, rain, or even just “white noise”. These sounds help your mind to get away from the stressful or difficult things that you are thinking about so that you are able to release your body and calm down. Getting enough sleep will then help you to not feel as stressed during the day.

Start a New Caregiver Career With Sonas

Are you a caring, compassionate nurse or caregiver looking for a rewarding career helping people live their best lives?

If so, we want to meet you! We have immediate opportunities available for LPNs, RNs, HHAs, CNAs, live-ins, and companions.

Jillian Miller BSN, RN

Director of Nursing at Sonas Home Health Care

This blog was reviewed by Jillian Miller BSN, RN — Director of Nursing for Sonas Home Health Care’s Tampa Bay market — for clinical accuracy. Jillian Miller has been a nurse for 16 years — working primarily in pediatrics. She believes the best part of working with the pediatric population is when you see smiles from clients when you first enter the room. She loves seeing the difference you can make in families’ lives while providing the best care possible for them.