5 Self-Care Tips for Caregivers

Intentional breaks reduce stress and restore focus. But for caregivers, time can feel impossible to protect. Jessica calls those moments “drops in the bucket.”

“These are so important in terms of the overall deposits in your well-being,” she says. “A really tactical way to reclaim your time is to plan it as intentionally as you do everything else. Block off your calendar so that way you have your boundaries and people don’t take that time away from you.”

Try it: Block 15 minutes on your calendar for a check-in with yourself. Breathe, stretch, or sit quietly. Guard it like you would guard any other meeting. 

Support improves immune function, sleep, and even longevity. But many caregivers struggle to accept help unless it’s on their terms. Jessica understands. “Everyone’s always like, let me know how I can help you. But in those moments, you don’t really know. So to have your list ready allows you to meet those people… who have offered help.”

She also adds, “It is OK to specify who you want help from. People are afraid to ask, but if you’re clear about who you want and what you want them to do, people are more likely to say yes.”

Try it: Make a list of yeses you’re open to, like meals, rides, visits. Be specific, and share it with someone you trust. 

Caregivers often skip meals, delay eating, or live on convenience foods. But your energy matters too.

Jessica offers two perspectives here. First: “My brain goes to like, why are you skipping meals? What’s the root cause of this?” Often, it’s a lack of time or space to make nourishing choices.

And second: “There’s always choice points. You just need to make the space to make those choices.”

In crisis? Jessica has been there too. “I packed just a lunch box with all my favorite snacks, and that was how I got through things ’cause I knew I didn’t have time to stop.”

Try it: Keep a go-to snack kit stocked. Choose food that fuels you and feels manageable in a crunch. 

Disrupted sleep is common for caregivers, but even short bursts of rest matter. “Create a wind-down moment,” Jessica suggests. “Stretch. Read. Put your phone down. Your brain needs cues that it’s safe to rest.”

Try it: Build a wind-down routine. Keep it short, repeatable, and calming. Your body will learn to follow your cues. 

Isolation makes caregiving harder. Shared understanding lightens the emotional load even if the work stays the same.

Jessica reflects: “I wish I would have told someone, even if they couldn’t help me. I wish I would have been like, ‘Right now is a really stressful time. I don’t have space for anything else, but I need to let you know that I’m overwhelmed.’”

“I don’t need you to solve my problem. I don’t need you to caretake me. I’m letting it out because I know that I pushed so much stuff down, and I was starting to build resentment and anger toward people.”

Try it: Let someone know what you’re holding. You don’t have to carry it alone.