Elder caregiver stress doesn’t just affect you emotional. It has physical consequences. Furthermore, support for caregivers of elderly loved ones can be difficult to find. If you feel you’ve run out of external options for stress relief there is an internal technique called guided imagery.
What is the Guided Imagery Technique?
It’s a method to relax the mind and body, which is often incorrectly referred to as ‘visualization’ or ‘mental imagery.’ Guided imagery goes beyond just forming pictures in your mind – it invokes all your senses. Although the history of guided imagery goes back centuries, it’s only in the last 25 years that researchers are learning the positive impact it has on health, creativity and performance.
In addition to lowering your elder caregiver stress levels, reports have show that guided imagery also helps…
reduce blood pressure
lower cholesterol
lower glucose levels in the blood
heighten short-term immune cell activity
lessen headaches and pain
decrease feelings of depression
increase energy
Best of all… anyone, regardless of sex, age or circumstance, can use guided imagery. So if you’re someone suffering from elder caregiver stress, it can help you lead a happier, and even healthier, life.
How to Perform the Guided Imagery Technique?
Those looking to relieve elder caregiver stress through guided imagery achieve three principals:
The Mind-Body Connection - Your mind can create events that feel like actual experiences in real time, even if it happened long ago. This principal taps into your creative mind power.
The Altered State – Using that creative power you unlock your internal strength and skill since your brainwave activity and biochemistry shift and become more powerful in this state.
Locus of Control – When you master control of your thoughts you also unleash your potential. You’ll achieve higher optimism and self-esteem, as well as a greater ability to tolerate physical pain and emotional stress.
The methods to these steps is entirely up to you, but it usually works best in a relaxed atmosphere - before you start your day or before going to bed are the best times. You’ll also achieve greater results when exercising a couple of times daily in 15-minute intervals for at least 3-4 weeks.
The most important tip of all is don’t worry if you’re doing it correctly – find ways that you’re comfortable with, because there is no ‘right or wrong way’ when using guided imagery.
Guided Imagery Downloads and Guided Imagery mp3 Files
To help those trying to manage elder caregiver stress and who want extra help visit our shop. You’ll find our CD that has amazingly effective guided imagery downloads for your computer or individual guided imagery mp3 files for your iPod. Pick the recording that best fits your needs or get all of them for maximum effectiveness. So be sure to visit our shop to learn more.
