"What to Know About Forming Better Habits?"

 

You’ve probably been in awe of people with strong habits, the people who wake up early, exercise regularly, eat well, and are successful at the end of the day. The main thing they’ll credit for their success is their habits and routines.

What Are Habits?

Habits aren’t active choices you make. They’re automatic responses. Deciding to go to the gym today isn’t a habit, but going without giving it a second thought is.‌

Habits aren’t easily labeled as “good” or “bad.” Many bad habits make you feel good. It’s more accurate to say that bad habits keep you from who you want to be, and good habits will help you get there. Habit formation is based on the discoveries of Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist. While researching how dogs salivate when fed, he accidentally discovered the concept of conditioning.‌

The famous experiment of Pavlov’s dogs in the 1890s revealed that you can train your brain to respond a certain way to specific stimuli. Because a bell was rung at dinnertime, dogs started drooling at the sound of the bell in preparation for their dinner.

For example, you may want to link the smell of lavender with bedtime. You can use a lavender room spray (stimulus), get into bed, and go to sleep (outcome). When you do this often enough, you train yourself to get sleepy when you smell lavender.

The more you can automate your decision-making, the more time you can give to what matters. Habits help you become the person you want to be. Putting together your habits makes a routine. Routines and habits determine your behavior. Your behavior determines your identity.

How Long Does It Take to Form a Habit?

It takes as long as it needs to take. The easier and more desirable the habit is, the quicker it will form. More difficult habits take longer. On average, it takes about 66 days for a habit to form. It’s less about the amount of time it takes and more about the repetition. A habit you practice every day will form much faster than a weekly habit.

Start with Small Habits

As with any new pursuit, you need to start small. Changing your behavior feels like a huge task. That’s why vague resolutions like “losing weight” are doomed to fail. The best place to start with a new habit is the smallest place. Think of the smallest possible thing you can do toward your habit and master it. Make it impossible not to do.‌

If your goal is to work out and lose weight, don’t start by following a workout plan. Instead, think about steps like:

• Put on your workout clothes
• Pack a gym bag
• Go to the gym (but don’t work out)
• Walk for 2 minutes‌

Set your expectations small to match the first step. If you only go to the gym, but that was your only intention, you did it! Do it a few more times for good measure, and then take the next step.

Other Tips for Forming Habits

Use your environment. If you want to eat more fruit, put fruit in plain sight on the counter. If you want to exercise more, keep your workout gear within reach. If you want to read more, always carry a book with you. To break a bad habit, do the opposite: Make it harder to do. Don’t keep soda or snacks around the house if you’re trying to lose weight.‌

Stack habits. Try pinning a new habit to one you already do by using the formula, “When I do X, I will then do Y.” When you eat a meal, go for a walk afterward. When you take a restroom break, drink a glass of water.‌

Make it enjoable. If you dread working out, try listening to your favorite podcast while you do it. If you hate vegetables, find tasty recipes that make you want to eat them. It’s hard to form a habit if you hate doing it. For a bad habit, make it so you don’t want to do it. If you’re trying to stop smoking, think of the good things that will happen when you quit. Make the act of smoking undesirable by comparison.

Celebrate your wins. There’s no better way to enjoy forming a habit than to celebrate them. Set up a reward system for when you do your habit every day, or a long-term reward if you do the habit for a week.

Be understanding. It’s OK to miss a day. There will be roadblocks during the process. Let it pass and try again tomorrow. You can take these moments and reevaluate your system. What caused you to miss a day? Is there a way to keep that from happening again? What can you do differently? No matter what, keep going.

MEDICALLY REVIEWED BY: Dan Brennan, MD, WebMD on November 27, 2021

SOURCES:

British Journal of General Practice: "Making health habitual: the psychology of ‘habit-formation’ and general practice." 

Clear, J. Atomic Habits, Penguin Random House, 2018.

Harvard Business Review: “What Does It Really Take to Build a New Habit?”

Iowa University Human Resources: “Habit Science.”

NPR: “'Tiny Habits' Are The Key To Behavioral Change.”

SimplePsychology: “Classical Conditioning,” “Pavlov's Dogs.”

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine, #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #IWantYou2LiveWell #FeelFree2SignUpAndFollow

The Goal is to Always Make You Aware of What Concerns Your Body, Soul and Spirit, So You Can Have Open, Honest and Frequent Discussions With Your Physicians and Counselors. You Can’t Treat or Cure What You Don’t Know is Sick.
 
"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)

The contents of the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites ("Content") are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites!

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Sites. Reliance on any information provided by WebMD, WebMD employees, others appearing on the Site at the invitation of WebMD, and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine or other visitors to the Sites is solely at your own risk.  

"The OLD Me is Ready for NEW!"

 

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW creature; OLD things have passed away; behold, all things have become NEW.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) 

Far too many of us, are stuck in the same old routines, forgetting that Isaiah said, “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a NEW thing…” Then Paul takes us into the New Testament with this statement, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become NEW.” And nothing is clearer then Romans 6:4, “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in NEWNESS of life.” Did you catch that last part? “Walk In NEWNESS…“! Walk implies ACTIVITY. Notice also that “Walk” is PRESENT TENSE, not walked, like an old activity, but “Walk”, as in TODAY, RIGHT NOW, CURRENTLY, NEW!  

AS OVERCOMERS, YOU ARE TO WALK IN NEW VICTORIES EVERYDAY! DAILY WAVING A FLAG OF VICTORY IN THE DEVIL’S FACE! With that said you have to ask, if “NEWNESS” is supposed to be so EVIDENT in the life of a believer, WHY ARE WE SO CRAZY-GLUED TO THE “OLD?”  

Listen to what Tony Evans writes: “Every day you get out of the same OLD bed and go to the same OLD bathroom to look at the same OLD face in the same OLD mirror. You go to the same OLD closet to choose from the same OLD clothes, then sit down at the same OLD breakfast table to eat the same OLD breakfast. Then you go to that same OLD garage and get into that same OLD car to head down that same OLD road to that same OLD job. There you work all day for that same OLD paycheck, next to those same OLD people, supervised by that same OLD manager. Then you get back into that same OLD car and head back down that same OLD road to that same OLD house. Once you are home you sit down in that same OLD chair to watch that same OLD television. At the end of the day you go to that same OLD bed and sleep that same OLD way, so you can get up the next morning and start that same OLD routine all over again.“               

In case you didn’t know, THAT IS NOT THE MENTALITY OF AN OVERCOMER! OVERCOMERS ARE DAILY IN HIGH PURSUIT OF SOME NEW CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME!  

LISTEN, GOD DID NOT CREATE US, AND HE MOST CERTAINLY DIDN’T REDEEM US, TO LIVE A PURPOSELESS EXISTENCE! OVERCOMERS DON’T EXIST—THEY LIVE AND THEY LIVE NOT JUST ABUNDANTLY—BUT MORE ABUNDANTLY! For the Bible declares, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, AND THAT THEY MAY HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY” (John 10:10)  

WHAT IS CURRENTLY AROUND US IS NOT ALL THERE IS FOR US! GOD HAS AN AWESOME CUSTOMIZED PLAN FOR EACH OF US! WE SIMPLY NEED TO SEEK IT, FIND IT, AND LIVE IT TO THE FULLEST!                  

The Scripture says, “No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put NEW wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins are ruined. But they put NEW wine into NEW wineskins, and both are preserved.”  

When something is PRESERVED it means it’s, “KEPT, MAINTAINED, AND PROTECTED“. And what’s being “KEPT, MAINTAINED, AND PROTECTED?” YOUR NEWNESS! UNDERSTAND THAT THE OLD CAUSES DAMAGE, IT TEARS, IT DESTROYS, IT PULLS AWAY, IT SEVERS, BUT THE NEW IS PRESERVED!  

IN A NUTSHELL: IT’S TIME TO BREAK-OUT OF THE OLD, AND BREAK-IN TO THE NEW!                 

Overcomers, crush that devil under your foot on this current level, then lift it and put it on the next level and the next devil and attain your next New Victory!                 

Homework Assignment: Read and keep in mind these Revelation Promises to the Overcomer:                  

Revelation 2:7, “He who is able to hear, let him listen to and give heed to what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). To Him Who Overcomes (Is Victorious), I Will Grant to Eat [Of the Fruit] of the Tree of Life, Which is in the Paradise of God.” (AMP). 

 Revelation 3:5, “He Who Overcomes Will Thus Be Clothed In White Garments; and I Will Not Erase His Name From the Book of Life, and I Will Confess His Name Before My Father and Before His Angels.” (NASB).   

Revelation 3:21, “He Who Overcomes (Is Victorious), I Will Grant Him to Sit Beside Me On My Throne, As I Myself Overcame (Was Victorious) and Sat Down Beside My Father On His Throne.” (AMP).   

Revelation 21:7, “He Who Overcomes Will Inherit These Things, and I Will Be His God and He Will Be My Son.” (NASB).       

Grab a hold of these promises and you will never again settle to live the same ole same ole life again!

“We were buried therefore with Him by the baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious [power] of the Father, so we too might [habitually] live and behave in NEWNESS of life.” (Romans 6:4 AMP)

IT’S NOT ENOUGH THAT IT’S DEAD—YOU HAVE TO BURY IT!

LISTEN: You can’t afford to let your past infect your present or sabotage your future! That’s why certain things that refuse to be healed, must be forsaken and forgotten! There are people praising God in Church every Sunday who lie awake in the privacy of their homes, digging up bones, picking at scars and reliving old memories. You need to accept that some issues will never be resolved, and if you let them, they’ll take up residence in your head and in your heart! [The what if’s? The should have’s? The maybe’s?] These will all drive you nuts…if you let them!

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “A man can’t ride your back unless it’s bent.”  

So straighten yourself up and straighten yourself out! You Will Not Stay This Way!

I do thank God for the Apostle Paul though. Because he was honest enough to admit that he still struggled in certain areas. Unlike those with a Pharisee spirit who condemn others for doing the very things they do themselves, Paul confessed, “But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.” (Romans 7:17-20 MSG).

Thanks Paul, from the rest of us who mistakenly thought that once we became Christians, there’d be no more struggles! Thanks for helping some of us who thought that once we became Bishop, Pastor, Elder, Teacher, Prophet, that the struggles would be over. That once we reached our 20 years saved, 15 years in ministry, 10 years healed and 5 years delivered, that the struggles would be over. Well, I’m here to serve notice on you: The Struggles Are Not Over! They continue! That’s why we were told to “Fight the good Fight of faith…” (1 Timothy 6:12). Not that we fought (past tense) the good fight. But this is a Current and Continual battle! YET, it’s one that doesn’t have to defeat us. 

I remember watching a boxing fight with my dad many years ago. And one of the guys was beaten BAD! I said ‘why don’t he just lay down and stay down?’ My dad said ‘that’s hard to do when you’re a real fighter, because real fighters always have another round in ‘em. They know how to punch past the pain and obtain the prize. They may get beat up, but they won’t give up, until they get the belt. That’s a real fighter. And that’s why he can’t just lay down and stay down.’ I didn’t appreciate those words of wisdom then, but I do now. I’ve learned that daily if I’m going to win, then daily I’ve got to fight! And so do you! So keep your head up, your gloves on, and your feet moving! Because I’m persuaded there’s another round in you too!

Listen, Paul continues to advise us. He says, “Consider yourselves to be dead to sin.” (Romans 6:11). In other words, stop pursuing dead issues; admit them, quit them and forget them! Instead of struggling to change what can’t be changed, let God’s transforming power sweep through your life and sever the ties between you and all those tormenting thoughts from your past. And by no means mistakenly think like others have. Because your past is not just what happened 20 years ago, 15 years ago or even 1 year ago. What happened 60 seconds ago is still considered the past! Many of us aren’t just wrestling with decade old stuff, but we’ve got stuff that happened this morning, and our day hasn’t been right since! Let that thing go! You can’t go back and change it or rearrange it, so let it be. Cry a River, Build a Bridge, and Get Over It!

Think about it: If you keep looking in the rear-view mirror, you’re going to eventually crash into something ahead of you! And I would hate for that to be your blessing, your miracle, your breakthrough, your season or your way out! You don’t want to damage what’s before you, by daydreaming about what’s behind you! Sure, you have to utilize all the mirrors on your vehicle to some degree. But keep in mind, the main one is looking straight ahead out the windshield! Looking, anticipating, ready, expecting, seeking for what yet lies ahead! SO…“Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?” (Isaiah 43:18-19 MSG).  

Adjust Your Focus On Your Future! The Vision For Your Future Will Always Look Distorted When You View It Through Eyes That Can Only See The Past!

Warning: Paying Attention to Your Past, Will Cost Your Present a Pretty Penny and Your Future a Fortune! Don’t Bankrupt The Blessing Before You!

“What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24).

In New Testament times capital punishment was sometimes carried out by tying a murder victim’s body directly onto the perpetrator. That way wherever he went, he was literally weighed down by his crime, with no way to escape the stench of decomposing flesh. Eventually, the bacteria-filled corpse infected him too, and he died an agonizing death. In other words, his Cause of Death was ‘Carrying What He Did In The Past Into His Present!’ People of God, Get Your Past Off You Before It Kills You!

Some days Paul felt the weight of his old nature pressing in, reminding him of things from his past that he couldn’t change or eradicate. Recognizing how past events can color the present, Paul describes himself as “a wretched man,” and asks, “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” The fact is, you can’t move ahead with “the old man” still clinging to you; you must bury him or he’ll kill you!

However, even Death doesn’t have the Finality that Burial does! You see, part of coming to closure involves disposing of the body! 

Truth is: Funerals are for the Living; they give people an opportunity to accept that their loved one has gone on and the relationship as they knew it is now over. So, as you embark on a New Day with a New Perspective and New Determination, isn’t it time you stopped carrying the past (your yesterdays) around on your back? We can all see what you’re carrying is dead, so why can’t you see it?! Do us all a favor and take that thing to a burial site and bury it! Surely you don’t want to go into 2022 with the dead stench of 2021’s residue! You’ve Smelled OLD Long Enough!

Paul says, “Present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead.” (Romans 6:13). In other words, refuse to let old memories negotiate a deal with the new you! Bury them, and do it today! You can’t afford a secret love affair with a corpse! It’s time for an epitaph, not a revival! Let That Thing Go Today!

An ‘Epitaph’ is ‘words written in memory of a person who has died, particularly on their tombstone’. It’s Greek origin means ‘over’ or ‘at a tomb’.

Tell yourself, all my past issues I’m taking to the tomb TODAY and I’m burying it! Yes it hurts, it’s disappointing, it’s caused me severe suffering and pain, but TODAY I’m burying it! The actions were painful, the words were hurtful, the thoughts were discouraging, but I’m burying it TODAY! I refuse to let it hang around in the funeral home. TODAY, I’m packing it up and finding an available plot, and if not, I’m fed up enough to dig one myself! One way or another this thing is being buried TODAY!

Saints, Whatever You Do, Know That You Don’t Have To Stay This Way! You Don’t Have to Settle For This! You Don’t Have To Accept This! NO! Change Begins With You, And Your Change Begins Today! The Old You Will Not Enter The New Year, The New Month or the New Day! Enough Is Enough!

Albert Einstein said it best: “Nothing Happens Until Something Moves” And That Something Is YOU! Get To Moving Out of the Old and Into the New…TODAY!

With that thought, Paul admonishes us once more: “…let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be…” (Romans 12:4 MSG). 

Listen: We’ve been delaying and denying healing and deliverance and growth for far too long now! Let’s just get on with becoming the new and wonderful person God has already crafted us to be. Let’s move from who we were to who we are meant to be!

 
Wave goodbye to 2021 and high-five 2022! 

Look in the mirror right now and tell yourself: THE OLD ME IS FINALLY READY FOR NEW! Past…Rest In Peace! Future…Get Ready For Revival!

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine, #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #IWantYou2LiveWell #FeelFree2SignUpAndFollow

“What to Know About Forming Habits?”

 

You’ve probably been in awe of people with strong habits, the people who wake up early, exercise regularly, eat well, and are successful at the end of the day. The main thing they’ll credit for their success is their habits and routines.

WHAT ARE HABITS? Habits aren’t active choices you make. They’re automatic responses. Deciding to go to the gym today isn’t a habit but going without giving it a second thought is.‌ Habits aren’t easily labeled as “good” or “bad.” Many bad habits make you feel good. It’s more accurate to say that bad habits keep you from who you want to be, and good habits will help you get there.‌ Habit formation is based on the discoveries of Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist. While researching how dogs salivate when fed, he accidentally discovered the concept of conditioning.‌ The famous experiment of Pavlov’s dogs in the 1890s revealed that you can train your brain to respond a certain way to specific stimuli. Because a bell was rung at dinnertime, dogs started drooling at the sound of the bell in preparation for their dinner. For example, you may want to link the smell of lavender with bedtime. You can use a lavender room spray (stimulus), get into bed, and go to sleep (outcome). When you do this often enough, you train yourself to get sleepy when you smell lavender. The more you can automate your decision-making, the more time you can give to what matters. Habits help you become the person you want to be.‌ Putting together your habits makes a routine. Routines and habits determine your behavior. Your behavior determines your identity.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO FORM A HABIT? It takes as long as it needs to take. The easier and more desirable the habit is, the quicker it will form. More difficult habits take longer. On average, it takes about 66 days for a habit to form.‌ It’s less about the amount of time it takes and more about the repetition. A habit you practice every day will form much faster than a weekly habit.

START WITH SMALL HABITS: As with any new pursuit, you need to start small. Changing your behavior feels like a huge task. That’s why vague resolutions like “losing weight” are doomed to fail.‌ The best place to start with a new habit is the smallest place. Think of the smallest possible thing you can do toward your habit and master it. Make it impossible not to do.‌ If your goal is to work out and lose weight, don’t start by following a workout plan. Instead, think about steps like:

• Put on your workout clothes
• Pack a gym bag
• Go to the gym (but don’t work out)
• Walk for 2 minutes‌

Set your expectations small to match the first step. If you only go to the gym, but that was your only intention, you did it! Do it a few more times for good measure, and then take the next step.

OTHER TIPS FOR FORMING HABITS:

USE YOUR ENVIRONMENT: If you want to eat more fruit, put fruit in plain sight on the counter. If you want to exercise more, keep your workout gear within reach. If you want to read more, always carry a book with you.‌ To break a bad habit, do the opposite: Make it harder to do. Don’t keep soda or snacks around the house if you’re trying to lose weight.‌

STACK HABITS: Try pinning a new habit to one you already do by using the formula, “When I do X, I will then do Y.” When you eat a meal, go for a walk afterward. When you take a restroom break, drink a glass of water.‌

MAKE IT ENJOYABLE: If you dread working out, try listening to your favorite podcast while you do it. If you hate vegetables, find tasty recipes that make you want to eat them. It’s hard to form a habit if you hate doing it.‌ For a bad habit, make it so you don’t want to do it. If you’re trying to stop smoking, think of the good things that will happen when you quit. Make the act of smoking undesirable by comparison.

CELEBRATE YOUR WINS: There’s no better way to enjoy forming a habit than to celebrate them. Set up a reward system for when you do your habit every day, or a long-term reward if you do the habit for a week.

BE UNDERSTANDING: It’s OK to miss a day. There will be roadblocks during the process. Let it pass and try again tomorrow. You can take these moments and reevaluate your system. What caused you to miss a day? Is there a way to keep that from happening again? What can you do differently? No matter what, keep going.

SOURCES:

British Journal of General Practice: "Making health habitual: the psychology of ‘habit-formation’ and general practice." 

Clear, J. Atomic Habits, Penguin Random House, 2018.

Harvard Business Review: “What Does It Really Take to Build a New Habit?”

Iowa University Human Resources: “Habit Science.”

NPR: “'Tiny Habits' Are The Key To Behavioral Change.”

SimplePsychology: “Classical Conditioning,” “Pavlov's Dogs.”

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine, #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #IWantYou2LiveWell #FeelFree2SignUpAndFollow

The Goal is to Always Make You Aware of What Concerns Your Body, Soul and Spirit, So You Can Have Open, Honest and Frequent Discussions With Your Physicians and Counselors. You Can’t Treat or Cure What You Don’t Know is Sick.
 
"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)

The contents of the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites ("Content") are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites!

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Sites. Reliance on any information provided by WebMD, WebMD employees, others appearing on the Site at the invitation of WebMD, and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine or other visitors to the Sites is solely at your own risk.  

“How to Avoid Caregiver Burnout?”

Know Your Limits: List all the tasks you need to do in a week, including dressing and bathing a loved one, rides, cooking, and household chores. Consider which ones someone else might be able to do. Remember to say no when you need to, and set boundaries so you can stay ready to help.

Stick to a Routine: Your daily habits can make your life simpler. A routine can help you feel in control and can let your loved one know what to expect. Consistency is especially important for people with dementia, because it provides a sense of security.  

Ask for Help: Even a few hours "off duty" can help you recharge. Think of family, friends, or neighbors to call when you need a break. Insurance may pay for a home health aide. Adult day-care centers can give you a breather while your loved one enjoys some social activity. Your local Area Agency on Aging can tell you where to find help. And hospice programs can help terminally ill people and their families.

Get Enough Sleep: Relaxation exercises, such as deep breathing, may help you at bedtime. If your loved one sleeps during the day but is awake much of the night, try to take naps. You may need to hire an aide or ask a friend or relative to stay with your loved one overnight so you can get a good night's rest.

Join a Support Group: No one understands your situation better than another caregiver. You may want to look for support groups related to your loved one's illness. Your local Area Agency on Aging may keep a list. Or consider joining an online community, where you can connect with others, ask questions, vent when you need to, and share ideas.

Use Timers and Reminders: Technology can be a caregiver's best friend. Buy pillboxes that sound an alarm when it's time for the next dose, or try a smartphone app or an online medicine reminder. They can send an automated text or phone call to you or your loved one when it's time for their medication. Pill organizers are a low-tech way for you to portion pills in little drawers by day, meal, or hour.

Get an Emergency Alert Device: Consider an electronic "help" button for when you can't be there. It's called a personal emergency response system (PERS), and your loved one wears it like a pin or a necklace. Most connect to the phone system. Some work like a walkie-talkie, so the wearer can talk to an emergency operator at any time. Some will notify a family member or call 911, depending on your preference. You’ll pay a monthly fee for the service.

Set Up Cameras and Sensors: To chat with your loved one or keep tabs when you can't be there, you could set up a webcam -- a video camera connected to the Internet. Video chat apps can also help involve faraway family members in care decisions. If your loved one might wander away, you can install sensors that alert you when someone opens a door.

Tap Into Creature Comforts: Could you bring a well-trained cat or dog in for a visit? Spending time with an animal can be very soothing to people who aren’t well or who can’t get out the way they used to. Pets can lower blood pressure, cut stress -- even make elderly people more alert. And seeing a loved one perk up can make you, the caregiver, happier, too.

Tune In: Music and art can spark fun shared moments for you and the person you're caring for. Familiar melodies can bring back memories and may lead to clapping or dancing. Keep art projects simple and safe but not too childlike. Painting or making a collage from magazines are two good options. Listening to music or working on an art project can be a great stress reliever for you, too.

Pace the Day: If your loved one has dementia, watch for “sundowning,” in which people become confused or agitated in the evening. Plan activities early in the day, and serve an early dinner. Turn the lights up in the evening. Check with a doctor about any physical or sleep problems that may be part of the sundowning effect.

Make It a Team Effort: Hold regular family meetings to discuss how your loved one is doing, caregiving needs, financial concerns, and your need for support. These meetings should include everyone who might be involved in caring for your loved one, including paid caregivers. Connect distant family members through a speakerphone or online video chat. Follow up with a written agreement and a calendar of tasks.

Draw on Workplace Support: Thanks to the Family and Medical Leave Act, larger companies must offer up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for employees with a parent, spouse, or child who is seriously ill. If you can't take leave, look into whether you can work flexible hours. Be clear about how you will get your work done. Employee assistance programs can help you find care for your loved one while you work.

Reviewed by: Melinda Ratini, DO, MS on April 19, 2017

REFERENCES:

AARP International, 'The Sandwich Generation: More People Juggle Parenting and Caregiving Responsibilities."
Allen K. Hypertension, 2001.
Alzheimer's Association New York City Chapter: 'Activity Based Care.'
Alzheimer's Association: 'Caregiver Stress,' 'Sleeplessness and Sundowning,'  'Meaningful Activities.'
Alzheimer's Foundation of America: 'Behavioral Challenges: Coping With...Sundowning,' 'Caregiving Tips: Daily Routines,'  'ICAN3 Survey: Life of a Sandwich Generation Caregiver.'
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: 'Lifting Techniques for Home Caregivers.'
Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas: 'Stage Three: Preventing Caregiver Burnout.'
CaringToday.org: 'Yes, You Can Say No.'
The Caregiver Foundation: '5 Easy Stress Relievers.'
Family Caregiver Alliance: 'Assistive Technology,' 'Community Care Options,' 'Caregiver's Guide to Understanding Dementia Behaviors,' 'Fact Sheet: Caregiving and Depression,' 'Holding a Family Meeting,' 'Taking Care of YOU: Self-Care for Family Caregivers,' 'Work and Eldercare.'
Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation: 'Caregiving.'
HelpGuide.org: 'Preventing Caregiver Burnout,' 'Preventing Burnout,' 'Support for Alzheimer's and Dementia Caregivers.'
Love on a Leash, The Foundation for Pet-Provided Therapy: 'FAQs.'
MDA/ALS Newsmagazine: 'Caregiving Technology Offers Safety, Security and Peace of Mind.'
National Alliance for Caregiving: 'Caregiving in the U.S.'
National Family Caregivers Association: 'Defining the Help You Need,' 'Improving Doctor/Caregiver Communications,' 'Speak Up,' 'The Stress of Family Caregiving: Your Health May Be at Risk,' 'The NFCA Story Project: Meet Some Family Caregivers,' 'NFCA's E-Communities Are Connecting Family Caregivers,' 'Support Group Guide for Family Caregivers,' 'Lotsa Helping Hands,' 'Tips & Tools.'
OnTimeRx.
Petersen, M. Clinical Infectious Diseases, October 2007.
The Pets for the Elderly Foundation: 'Research.'
Quest Magazine: 'Call for Help.'
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