Can You Really Exercise Every Day as a Caregiver?

You may have heard that exercise can help you to reduce your stress and to build up your strength, but because you’re a caregiver, you’re not sure when you can fit that in. The good news is that you probably have more opportunities for exercise than you think.

Homecare in Orem UT: Caregiver Exercise

Find out How Much Exercise Is Right for You

The first step is to talk with your own doctor and determine how much exercise is ideal for you. There are general guidelines, but everyone is different and has different health needs. As a caregiver, you probably take your senior to all of her doctor’s appointments but if you’ve been neglecting your own, this is the time to catch up.

Break up Your Exercise Time

You don’t really have to spend an hour at the gym to get the results that you want from exercise. You can break up your exercise time throughout the day to get all of it in without setting aside huge chunks of time. Five minutes here and there can really add up through the day.

Rethink What Exercise Is

Again, it’s not just going to the gym or working out for hours. For most people, moving a little bit more can count easily as exercise. Parking a little farther away in a parking lot and taking the stairs are frequent suggestions because they give you that little extra bit of movement in your day. You’ll hardly notice this extra exercise, but you’ll reap the benefits.

Take Advantage of Opportunities

At first, you might not think you have even a few minutes here and there to exercise, but you’ve got more opportunities than you realize. For example, try standing every time you have to talk to someone on the phone. Or when you vacuum, put a little more speed into the activity. Daily activities that you have to do can become an opportunity to sneak in a little more movement.

Give Yourself Rewards for Hitting Milestones

Don’t forget that you’re not trying to punish yourself, here. Look for ways to reward yourself for little milestones along the way. If you hit your exercise target every day for the week, try a bubble bath or set aside some time to read. Brainstorm a list of rewards so that you’re not stuck looking for something that isn’t really a reward.

The more that you’re able to get some movement into every day the more results you’ll see. Between the stress relief that you can experience and the overall health benefits, you’ll start to crave daily movement to keep you going.

Are you or a loved one considering Homecare in Orem, UT? Please talk to the friendly staff at December Rose Senior Care at Home. Providing Home Care in Highland, Utah and Surrounding Communities. 801-427-ROSE (7673)