How a Senior Can Regulate Their Nervous System

By James Hughes | May 8, 2024 |

Home care assistance can help aging seniors manage their stress.

Many seniors experience a lot of stress, which is completely normal from time to time. Not all parts of life are smooth sailing, and the truth is there will be ups and downs when it comes to senior health and senior life. High stress, also known as chronic stress, can impact a senior’s body, especially their nervous system. Your nervous system is the part of the body that helps regulate blood pressure, digestion, heart rate, breathing, and more.

When seniors focus on learning to regulate their nervous system, it will improve their lives in many ways. Here is how a senior can start this practice.

Use Grounding Techniques

Being aware of your body sounds like it could stress your nervous system out more than it already is, but it can actually help a senior calm down. Home care assistance may also be able to help guide a senior through simple tasks. They can have a senior sit or lie down with their eyes closed, and they will ask them to focus on each body part and wiggle them, starting from head to toe.

This is one of the best ways to focus on individual body parts, breathing, and understanding certain feelings. It may help stop stress and panic attacks and help seniors stay focused and present, which is so crucial as they age.

Move Around More

Exercise is not only a great way to burn excess energy but also one of the best ways to relieve stress for seniors. Home care assistance can help encourage seniors to move around and create a routine around this habit.

Your loved one should be moving around the home or through their yards. The more a senior can move around, the more independent they will remain. When they can move and feel good about their lives, it will help reduce stress and improve quality of life.

Practice Mindfulness Every Day

It’s easy to say someone should practice mindfulness, but it can be harder to do. This is the practice of listening to your body, feelings, and much more. Your senior can practice this by journaling, walking, thinking, and even meditating each day. This will allow your senior to express good and bad feelings, allowing them to flow through their body and release anything negative. It is one of the best ways to calm a racing heart, lower stress, and improve the function of the overall nervous system.

Laugh Out Loud Every Day

Laughing can stimulate the vagus nerve, which can help a senior feel relaxed. It seems silly, but even fake laughing can help boost a senior’s mood and help them feel better about the day. If your senior has a good relationship with home care assistance caregivers, it can be a good practice to chat together and find things to laugh about. This will boost their mood and build a nice relationship with each other.

Go Barefoot In The Grass

Home care assistance professionals will need to help ensure seniors stay safe if they want to do this. Your senior loved one can practice grounding by placing their bare feet in the grass outside. It helps them feel connected to nature and allows them to connect with their surroundings. It will help them get out of their heads and allow them to feel everything.

Home care assistance caregivers should sweep through the grass before your senior tries this.

If you or someone you know needs Home Care Assistance in Robertsdale, AL, please contact the friendly caregivers at  Hughes Home Care. We provide quality and affordable care for your elderly loved ones in our community. Serving Mobile & Baldwin County. Call us today at (251) 517-9901

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James Hughes

Owner at Hughes Home Care

James Hughes is a graduate of The University of Alabama (Health Care Administration), the University Of Alabama, Birmingham (Physical Therapy) and is a Navy veteran.

He has three teenage children and are actively involved in their church and community – James coach’s youth football, basketball and baseball and serves at 3 Circle Church. He is a member of the Fairhope Youth Football Board and the Rock Creek POA Board.

It is his passion and commitment to providing quality and responsive service that has made their company the fastest growing home care agency in South Alabama.

He believes that being an independently owned and operated company gives him the flexibility to manage his business in a way that better serves their clients.

He understands that you have a choice of care providers and he will do his utmost to earn your trust.