How to Cope with Insomnia and Caregiver Stress

We all know how hard it is trying to function after a poor night’s sleep, as most adults need at least seven hours of sleep each night for optimal wellbeing and brain function. The consequences of a sleepless night can leave us feeling exhausted and struggling with brain fog, irritability and difficulty processing thoughts and emotions.

Unfortunately, for the millions of Australians providing unpaid care to an older loved one, or someone who lives with a medical condition or disability, getting enough sleep can be an ongoing challenge.

Taking care of someone you love is a rewarding experience, but one that carries with it unique challenges that can disrupt your sleeping patterns, your mental health, and your ability to unwind and shut off at the end of the day.

In a study commissioned by Carers Australia, up to 75% of caregivers reported poor quality sleep, often as a result of constant worry about the wellbeing and needs of the person they care for.

It’s very important to make sure you are well rested so that you can feel your best and continue to take good care of your loved ones. Here are some useful tips to manage caregiver stress, prevent burnout and achieve a deep, restful night’s sleep. 

What Is Sleep and Why Is It So Important?

Sleeping is an essential bodily function that is critical for our good health. Our bodies need adequate restorative sleep in order to organise our thoughts, restore our minds, and protect our physical and emotional wellbeing. Sleep is also important for maintaining a healthy immune system, improving attention and memory and keeping your heart and other essential organs functioning properly. Those who regularly get insufficient sleep tend to have poorer overall health, productivity and are at greater risk of accidents due to the effects of sleep deprivation on brain function. 

The body regulates sleep and waking cycles using an internal ‘circadian rhythm’ that functions as your body’s inner ‘clock’. This system sends messages to your brain that dictate when you feel sleepy and when you feel awake and alert. Your body clock is influenced by a range of factors, including your diet, exercise, health conditions, and your schedule for going to bed, waking up, and providing care to your loved one. Going to bed and waking up at around the same time each day is the best way to get the most restorative sleep, but for carers who often have round-the-clock responsibilities, disruption to your sleep schedule is a common experience. 

Sleep Deficits in Australian Carers

Carers often work above and beyond the usual demands of a full-time job, as caregiving rarely adheres to a standard work schedule. This means that carers in Australia are frequently burnt out, underslept, and overworked. The Australian Government is increasingly concerned with supporting carers to ensure they are supported in their critical roles, and has drawn special attention to the concerning lack of quality sleep among unpaid carers.

Carers Australia have reported that poor sleep and persistent tiredness is a major contributor to poor health among unpaid and family caregivers. Carers whose loved ones require a greater level of support, or who need care at frequent intervals including overnight, report worse sleep than those with less intensive or constant carings demands, with some carers getting as little as 4 hours per night. 

Barriers to Good Sleep for Carers

There are many reasons that Australians with caring responsibilities struggle to fall and stay asleep. These sleep disturbances are different for each person, depending on their unique circumstances and the needs of the person they care for.

However, some commonly given reasons for poor sleep include overnight caring needs such as supporting their loved one to use the bathroom, turning them over, assisting with medical needs or investigating unexplained noises from their room.

Carers are also frequently kept up at night with worries about their loved one, their wellbeing, and whether they have everything they need. These worries and nagging thoughts cause significant sleep disruptions for caregivers, with research indicating around 90% of carers wake up at least once every night as a result.

In some cases, carers struggle to sleep because of their own health issues, which they sometimes ignore or delay seeking treatment for due to prioritising the care of their loved one. Carers are also much more likely than the general population to live with a disability themselves, which can bring a range of other complications that can disrupt sleep.

What Is Caregiver Burnout?

Every carer will know what it’s like to feel a little run down and tired from all the demands of caring for a cherished friend or family member, but when this goes on for too long, you can be at risk of complete burnout. Burnout happens when we are subject to stress that is excessive or prolonged to the point that you feel completely physically, emotionally and mentally depleted.

Burnout is a serious and debilitating condition, and not something you can simply shrug off or push through. Everyone is affected by burnout and carer fatigue differently, however some signs that you are experiencing burnout can include:

• Constant physical fatigue, despite sufficient rest
• Appetite changes, such as eating for comfort or losing your appetite entirely
• Difficulty sleeping, despite exhaustion
• Mood changes, such as feeling unmotivated, helpless or pessimistic about life
• Procrastinating on important tasks, or feeling unable to do your regular activities
• Withdrawing from your social networks 
• Using substances, like drugs or alcohol, to cope

Many of these symptoms can also be present if you are experiencing depression or other mental health challenges, so it’s important never to ignore the signs that you are not coping. Help is available, and no one should have to live with the long-term effects of chronic burnout.

How to Achieve Better Sleep and Reduce Caregiver Stress

It is clear that unpaid carers in Australia are under an enormous amount of pressure, and that greater support is needed for these incredible members of our community who provide a vital and valuable service. Greater support is of particular importance for those caring for people with complex or multiple support needs. Balancing the needs of your loved one, whilst struggling with caregiver stress and burnout is not easy, but there are some tips that can help. Practicing some of the following wellbeing, relaxation and sleep hygiene tips can help you to maintain your health, feel rested, alert and focussed, and continue to provide the highest quality of care to your loved one.

Sleep Hygiene

Sleep hygiene is a term that describes any changes you make to your lifestyle and habits that help you sleep better. Many people’s difficulties with sleep are caused or made worse by poor habits ingrained over many years, but with a few simple changes, you can greatly improve your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep, allowing you to wake feeling refreshed. Some great sleep hygiene habits to adopt include:

Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule

Try to wake up at the same time each day, even if you feel a little tired at first. Waking up at a regular time can help to ‘set’ your body clock, which will help make you feel ready for sleep at the end of the day. Avoid the temptation to press snooze on your alarm, as this can actually make you feel more tired when you wake a few minutes later. If you are too tired to get up in the morning because of overnight caring duties, consider asking for overnight caring support or respite care if possible.

Go to Bed Only When Tired

Trying to get to sleep before your body is ready can reinforce bad habits like lying awake for hours. If you’re in bed for over an hour trying to sleep, try moving to another room and doing a relaxing activity like reading a book, until you start to feel sleepy. This can help your brain associate your bedroom with restfulness and sleep, making it easier to get some quality shuteye. 

Get Some Early Morning Light

Light is a key factor in regulating your body clock. Getting exposure to daylight within an hour or so of waking up can help to ensure your body feels awake and alert during the day, and ready for sleep at night.

Keep Your Bedroom Dark and Cool

Because light can stimulate the brain and keep you awake, keeping your sleeping environment as dark as possible using blinds, curtains, or a sleeping mask can help you to get a deeper sleep. Maintaining a comfortable temperature, ideally not too warm, can also send the message to the brain that it is time to shut down and rest. 

Manage Disrupting Noise

If you live in a noisy area, try using ear plugs or a white noise generator to mask noise that disrupts your sleep. Podcasts and guided sleep meditation practices can also help create a relaxing atmosphere that is conducive to sleep. 

Limit Drugs and Alcohol

Certain drugs and alcohol can interfere with our normal brain and hormone function, causing difficulties sleeping. Try to reduce your caffeine intake later in the day, as even a small amount can keep you awake. Also try to avoid relying on substances like alcohol or sleeping pills to get to sleep. Whilst a drink or two may feel like it helps you sleep, alcohol actually makes it harder to get into a deep state of sleep, making it more likely to wake up feeling groggy and tired. Reliance on sleeping aids can also worsen insomnia, as the body becomes accustomed to chemically-induced sleep, making it harder to get a good night’s rest naturally. 

Restrict Screen Time at Night

Screens from devices like computers, televisions, smartphones and tablets emit a type of blue light that stimulates the brain and keeps it awake and active. For better sleep, try to stop using devices at least an hour or two before bed. If you need to use screens, many devices now have a ‘night light’ or blue light-blocking setting to prevent insomnia. Alternatively, blue light blocking glasses are widely available for purchase across Australia.

Relaxation and Mindfulness to Manage Stress

Stress and worry are common causes of poor sleep and anxiety. Everyone has different ways of managing stress, but some useful strategies can include getting regular exercise, listening to relaxing music, having a warm bath or shower before bed, or engaging in a formal relaxation meditation. Meditation can be hugely beneficial for people with stressful lives, such as carers. If you are new to meditating, there are plenty of apps and guided meditations to help you relax and destress.

Seeking Support to Alleviate Caregiver Stress

Lifestyle changes and sleep hygiene practices can help, and may provide relief in the short-term, but the reality may be that you need some help in your caring role. Caring for a person with complex or multiple health needs, mobility difficulties or cognitive challenges can be a 24/7 job, which is unrealistic for any one person to do alone.

We know how much strength it takes to be a carer, and how hard it can feel to let someone else step in and give us a hand. However, it is just as important to take good care of yourself as it is to care for your loved ones. 

Taking a break from your caring duties can be a great way to recharge your mind and body, get some rest, and come back feeling refreshed and recharged. Respite care is available to give you the peace of mind that your loved one is well cared for whilst you switch off and relax. Not only will you feel better for the break, you will likely be better equipped to care for your loved one and enjoy their company, having had a chance to rest and recover.

Getting support from family and friends with some of your caring responsibilities, such as shopping or taking your loved one to appointments, can also help ease some stress whilst allowing other close relations to experience the rewarding feeling of helping someone dear to us. Another great way to unload some stress is by talking to other carers who have shared experiences.

Carer Gateway, Australia’s central portal for carer support, hosts online forums where you can ask questions and get support on common caring challenges with people who really understand where you are coming from. SImply having the opportunity to vent about your experiences in a supportive, judgement-free environment, can do wonders for your mental health, and make it much easier to fall asleep at the end of a long and tiring day. 

Do You Need Help?

Reaching out when you are struggling is the bravest and most important thing you can do. We cannot take good care of the people we love if we are not taking care of ourselves. If you need support for your mental health, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 224 636. You can also reach out to Carers Australia or Carer Gateway to find out about local support options and resources in your area.

If you are interested in respite care or other support in your caring role, don’t hesitate to reach out to Homage’s friendly, caring and compassionate Care Professionals today.