A Caregiver’s Self-Care Guide
Finding Balance While Loving Someone with Aphasia
Caring for a loved one after a stroke or while they are living with aphasia is both a privilege and a challenge. It’s a journey of deep love, but it can also feel overwhelming, isolating, and exhausting. Many caregivers find themselves asking: “How can I be everything they need without losing myself in the process?”
Here’s the truth: you cannot pour from an empty cup.
Your health, rest, and joy directly impact your ability to show up for your loved one with patience, energy, and compassion. Self-care isn’t selfish; it’s a lifeline, and it’s one of the greatest gifts you can give both yourself and the person you’re caring for.
This self-care guide was created tenderly for caregivers like you. It combines simple practices to help you recharge with helpful tools to support you along the way. We hope it feels like a gentle reminder that your needs matter, too.
1. Create a Daily Moment of Peace
Caregiving can feel like it’s 24/7 because, in many ways, it is. But even a few minutes of intentional calm can reset your nervous system and give you the breath you didn’t realize you were holding.
Try carving out a small daily ritual: maybe it’s five minutes of deep breathing while your loved one naps, or a quiet cup of tea before bed. These tiny pauses can carry you through long days.
Helpful Tools:
Aromatherapy diffuser with lavender or eucalyptus oils for stress relief.
Weighted blanket to relax your body during a quick nap.
Guided journal to release emotions and celebrate small wins.
2. Nourish Your Body
When caring for someone else, it’s easy to put your own meals last. But your body needs steady fuel to keep going. Skipping meals or grabbing fast food only drains your energy further.
Stock your kitchen with easy, healthy options so you can stay nourished even on the busiest days. Smoothies, pre-packaged snacks, or a favorite mug of tea can remind you that you’re worth caring for, too.
Quick Nourishment Ideas:
Smoothie blender for fast, nutrient-packed meals.
Healthy snack packs to grab and go.
Large water bottle with time markers to keep hydration on track.
3. Move Your Body Gently
Stress often lives in the body and exhibits in ways such as tight shoulders, sore backs, and aching necks. Gentle movement isn’t just about exercise; it’s about releasing tension and keeping your energy flowing.
You don’t need a gym or hours of free time. A 10-minute walk outside, some gentle stretching, or a short yoga session can give you strength and clarity. Bonus: movement also boosts mood by releasing endorphins.
Movement Helpers:
Yoga mat for stretching or at-home yoga.
Foam roller to release tight muscles after a long day.
Resistance bands for strength exercises you can do anywhere.
4. Protect Your Sleep
Sleep is often the first thing to suffer during caregiving. Late nights, medical needs, or just lying awake worrying can all chip away at rest. But even short stretches of quality sleep can restore your patience, focus, and resilience.
Protecting your sleep means creating little cues that help your body wind down, even if your sleep schedule isn’t perfect. Think calming scents, blackout masks, or soft sounds.
Sleep Support:
Sound machine to block household noise.
Silk sleep mask for better rest during naps.
Chamomile tea as a gentle nighttime ritual.
5. Build Small Joy Rituals
It’s easy to feel like caregiving takes over your entire identity. But holding onto pieces of your own joy, whether it’s reading, gardening, listening to music, or painting, reminds you that you are more than your role.
Small rituals of joy aren’t frivolous; they’re necessary. They refill your soul and give you something that belongs just to you.
Joy Starters:
Inspirational daily reading for encouragement.
Wireless headphones for music or podcasts while multitasking.
Adult coloring book + markers for calming creativity.
A Gentle Reminder
If you are walking this path, please know: you are not alone, and your needs matter. Your health, joy, and rest are not extras; they are essentials. By giving yourself moments of care, you build strength to continue caring for your loved one with grace and compassion.
Start small. Choose one practice today—a short walk, a cup of tea, or even a deep breath and give yourself permission to receive the same love you so freely give.
Because the truth is this: when you care for yourself, you are caring better for the one you love.
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For support, questions, or if you need a friend to talk to who just “gets it,” please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news from Aphasia Readers! If you haven’t picked up an Aphasia Readers book, order your copy HERE!
God Bless,
Anna Teal