7 Self-Care Practices Every Caregiver Should Try

Burnout is the single biggest risk to long-term caregiving. These practices, drawn from research and our own caregivers' lived experience, can help.

1. **Build a relief schedule.** Block time off the same way you block medical appointments.
2. **Name your feelings.** Journaling for five minutes daily reduces stress measurably.
3. **Keep one social connection sacred.** A weekly walk with a friend has outsized mental-health benefits.
4. **Move daily.** Even ten minutes of walking improves mood and sleep.
5. **Sleep first.** Sleep deprivation magnifies every other stressor.
6. **Ask specifically for help.** "Can you bring dinner Tuesday?" is easier to fulfill than "Let me know if you need anything."
7. **Accept professional respite without guilt.** Trained respite workers are partners, not replacements.