Selfcare for Caregivers

Integramed
May 4
3 min read

15 practical, science-based tools for managing anxiety, combining physical, psychological, and lifestyle approaches:

1. 4-7-8 Breathing Technique

How: Inhale for 4 sec, hold for 7, exhale for 8.

Activates the parasympathetic nervous system to calm the body.

During panic, before sleep, or in stressful moments.

2. Grounding Technique (5-4-3-2-1)

How:

5 things you see
4 things you feel
3 things you hear
2 things you smell
1 thing you taste
Anchors you to the present and stops racing thoughts.

3. Magnesium Glycinate or L-Theanine

How: Supplements shown to support relaxation and reduce anxious tension.

Take in the evening or during the day in high-stress periods.

4. Worry Journal (with Time Limit)

How: Set a 10-minute “worry window” to write your fears freely.

Containment reduces rumination and gives your brain an outlet.

5. Box Breathing Visualization

How: Inhale – Hold – Exhale – Hold (4 seconds each)

Use a visual animation (like on Calm or Breathwrk apps)

Reduces heart rate and brings control back.

6. Safe Place Imagery

How: Close eyes and visualize a place you feel safe, loved, or calm.

You can decorate it for yourself however you want. You can imagine a garden or a room...

Activates calming brain regions (used in trauma therapy too).

7. CBT Thought Log

How: Write down:

Situation
Thought
Emotion
Evidence for/against
New thought
Restructures anxious distortions into more balanced thinking.

8. Movement Break (10 min walk or dance)

How: Move your body, especially legs.

Discharges adrenaline and shifts brain chemistry fast.Bonus: Go outside—sunlight and nature lower cortisol.

9. Weighted Blanket or Deep Pressure Tools

How: Use 5–10% of your body weight.

Mimics deep pressure therapy and calms the nervous system.

10. Audio Mantra or Affirmation Loop

How: Record your voice saying:

“I am safe in this moment.”
“This will pass.”
“I’ve survived this before.”
During anxious spikes, to self-soothe and replace inner chaos

11. Micro-Boundaries at Work

Set clear, small boundaries during the workday to protect your energy.

Examples:

Say, “I’ll respond after lunch” instead of reacting instantly to every message.
Let colleagues know your "quiet hour" where you're not available for non-urgent matters.
Micro-boundaries reduce decision fatigue and give your nervous system space to reset.

12. Transition Rituals

Create a small ritual to mentally and emotionally end your workday.Examples:

Light a candle, change clothes, go for a short walk, or listen to one calming song.
Use the phrase: “Work is done. I return to myself now.”

It creates psychological separation between caregiver-role and private self—especially critical for those who work from home.

13. Body-Based Check-Ins

Set 3 alarms throughout your day labeled “Check: How does my body feel?”

Then ask:

Am I breathing deeply or shallow?
Am I tensing my shoulders/jaw?
Do I need water, food, or movement?

Caregivers often dissociate from their own bodies while focusing on others. This brings you back to yourself.

14. Containment Ritual for Emotional Residue

Create a simple way to “release” emotional energy you’ve absorbed during the day.

Ideas:

Shake out your hands/body
Write down a sentence you want to “leave at work”
Visualize the energy going into a symbolic container or the earth

Prevents emotional build-up or burnout from unresolved transferences or secondary trauma.

15. Protective Scheduling

Design your schedule with recovery in mind, not just productivity.

Block time after difficult sessions or meetings.
Insert buffer time before emotionally intense patients.
Add something nourishing before your last session of the day or after your workday (e.g., a tea or 3-minute walk).

Sustainable caregiving means pacing—not pushing.

Want to learn how to challenge and calm your anxious thoughts?