Caution: Burnout Ahead

Your results are showing me that 😈you need a friendly warning😈. Many caregivers do not identify fully with the role of caregiving and continue to manage their lives as if caregiving is just an "extension" of their relationship. Without guidance, support and awareness, the statistics show that many caregivers end up spinning out of control.

CAREGIVERS ARE STRESS REACTIVE MACHINES and managing your stress is an ongoing commitment where you need the most help 🙌🙌 Here are some essential tips that I use myself as a family caregiver to stay on track and combat stress in my role as a caregiver!🧘

1. The "physiological sigh"💆‍♀️ is an instant destress technique!! This method came out of research from Stanford University with proven effects. Take two inhales through the nose (take one big breath in, hold in the air and then take a second shorter inhale) then follow immediately by an extended exhale out through the mouth. We have little sacks of air in our lungs, which increase the volume of air that you can bring in. These sacks collapse over time, and as a result, oxygen levels start to go down and carbon dioxide levels go up in the bloodstream and body, which is a big part of the signaling of the stress response. The double inhale of the physiological sigh "pops" the air sacks (called alveoli) open, allowing oxygen in and enabling you to offload carbon dioxide in the long exhaled sigh out.

2. Vitamin C ...🥤I am not opposed to a couple of cups of coffee but I like all of my caregivers to start drinking lemon water first thing in the morning. There are two reasons for this. A large part of my training focuses on developing a new lifestyle within this role and that requires attention and even this simple change highlights your commitment. Secondly, lemon water is excellent for weight loss (stress makes us overeat and gain weight because of poor insulin modulation), the immune system, alkalizing the body, controlling high blood pressure, anti-aging, purifying the blood, and regulating body temperature (all super important factors since a healthy body is our greatest asset). You might also take extra Vitamin C to restore the stress response and support your immune system when experiencing high levels of stress.

3. Do one thing at a time ⛷️ - See that little skier emoji? He's not looking at emails and preparing breakfast while racing down the mountain. This may sound obvious, but we caregivers tend to manage our lives as endless multitaskers and science today tells us the flood of adrenaline and other stress hormones unleashed by trying to do too much at once can actually cause us damage. To help you move away from multitasking, focus on the activity at hand without letting your mind wander onto the usual worries or other tasks. There are so many advantages to this practice... particularly when managing our moods and tendency to ruminate.

START RECEIVING MY WEEKLY EMAIL DIGEST BY ACCEPTING MY OPT-IN EMAIL TO YOUR INBOX WHERE I WILL SHARE MORE TIPS I HAVE LEARNT ON MY JOURNEY including research (I bring the best from far and wide) that will support your caregiver journey that cover many areas including stress, trauma, addiction, developing focus, mindfulness, sleep, exercise, nutrition, longevity and brain optimization.

"Who’s this caregiver self-care whiz with all the tips?" Let me introduce myself..

Hey there 🙋‍♀️ I’m Tanya, an energy coach for family caregivers who after nearly fifteen years of caregiving my daughter, several decades of optimizing my mindset and lifestyle, and a lifetime of challenges that forced me to move out of victim mode and into the driving seat, I have dedicated my life to helping family caregivers experience caregiving WITH happy moments. Today we know CAREGIVERS ARE STRESS REACTIVE MACHINES who need strategies, tools and a very different level of resilience (not the grin and bear it type that we were told about in our childhood) to manage this role well.😽 Caregivers usually come to me when they are tired, worn out and overwhelmed... check out some of their testimonials.

"Tanya’s program caught my attention because nobody had ever led me to believe I could be happy in this role. I dreaded getting out of bed before I worked with her. I love my life now."

"Tanya helped me gain a crucial understanding of my emotions. Not just as a caregiver but also with other relationships in my life."

"Tanya helped me start to notice patterns in my behavior that I can tweak and this made me realize that I am much more in control than I previously thought. She also helped me realize that my loved one is not going to change and that the change needs to start with me."

"It’s your whole vision of how your life is going to be now moving forward and Tanya really helped me understand myself."

I have a number of channels where you can learn more about me and my work.

1. Join my weekly email digest - you were sent an opt-in email to your inbox to start receiving my newsletter that does a deep dive into my insights that will offer you invaluable tips and information (I bring the best from far and wide) that will support your caregiver journey in the form of blogs, podcasts and articles that cover many areas including stress, trauma, addiction, developing focus, mindfulness, sleep, exercise, nutrition, longevity and brain optimization.

2. Join my FaceBook group Changing the Emotions of Caregiving.

3. Join my latest program for caregivers - Cradling the Caregiver - A 4-week course with quick and easy tools and strategies to reduce stress, regain energy and create happy moments again that will kick off in the middle of January. For more information, please email me at tanya@integrativecaregiving.co