i’ve been thinking a lot about self care for caregivers, bc it’s not just abt taking a relaxing bath or getting a massage. for me, it’s about managing my own energy expenditure, especially on days when i’m dealing with cognitive overload. i’ve noticed that tracking my resting heart rate and bpm threshold has helped me predict crashes, but it’s not just abt physical activity - cognitive load is a major factor too.
i’ve been trying to prioritize tasks that don’t drain me as much, like breaking down admin work into smaller chunks. anyone else have strategies for managing caregiver burnout? i’ve also been using a free-text journal to log my symptoms and triggers, and it’s been really helpful in identifying patterns.
being able to add notes to each entry has made it easier to see how my energy levels fluctuate over time. what works for you?
man, that “cognitive overload” part really hits different. you’re right, it’s not just about the physical stuff, sometimes trying to focus or just think through a problem feels like it drains your battery faster than anything else. i track my migraine attacks and how they build up from prodrome too, and that mental drag is a huge flag
cognitive overload, huge factor
cognitive overload is a major factor for me too, especially with mast cell stuff.
that cognitive overload part really hits home. it’s not just physical exhaustion with this stuff, is it? the tracking of heart rate makes sense, i’ve seen similar patterns myself when my cortisol is running high.
but trying to break down admin work, that’s where i feel like the system fails us sometimes. you log it, but then what? i just log every flare + what set it off in careclinic so i can spot the window, and the dark mode charts make it easier to look at before bed without getting woken up more.
how do you actually use those heart rate patterns once you spot them? what’s the next step?
that feeling of cognitive overload being a trigger, not just a symptom, is spot on for me too. when my mast cells are acting up, any kind of mental stress or too much input can push me into a flare just as easily as a food trigger. i track my daily meds and then log symptoms, and seeing that correlation in careclinic between mental drain and a histamine reaction helps me avoid a full crash.