Stress Relief for Caregivers: The Calm App Can Help You Relax

The relentless demands of caregiving can make finding moments of peace feel like an impossible luxury. Yet integrating small, adequate breaks for stress relief is not self-indulgence; it's essential to maintaining your resilience, patience, and well-being.

The challenge often lies in knowing how to quickly quiet a busy mind filled with worries and to-do lists. This article introduces a practical, accessible tool for precisely this purpose: the free Calm app.

Designed to fit into the brief pockets of time you have, it offers guided meditations, breathing exercises, and calming sounds to help you step away from stress and recharge, making self-care an achievable part of your demanding routine.

Sometimes Caregivers Need Help to Relax

Taking short breaks is a great way to reduce caregiver stress, improve health and well-being, and help you stay calm and patient.

The challenge is that when you have a few minutes to yourself, it can be difficult to truly relax and stop thinking about or worrying about your older adult.

We found something perfect for stress relief for caregivers – a mobile app with free relaxation programs that help you step away from caregiving thoughts and worries and into the relaxation zone.

We explain how the Calm app works and share our favorite free programs.

Calm is a Free App that Can Help Caregivers when They Get Stressed Out

The Calm mobile app is perfect for quick stress reduction breaks anywhere, anytime – even if you’re hiding in the bathroom to get a moment of peace.

The app is simple to use, and sign-up is optional.

The Calm mobile app is available for both iPhone and Android smartphones. (In the screenshots below, we’re using this app on an iPhone.)

The Basic Features of the Calm App are Free

Calm has helpful basics that are entirely free to use. And, they’re fast and effective at relieving stress.

Most programs require a paid subscription, but feel free to ignore them and stick with the free options. The paid programs are marked with a small lock icon in the corner.

How to Use the Calm mobile app

Calm home screen

When you first download the app, you will see a few setup screens to create an account and subscribe to the Premium (paid) service.

This is optional – skip these screens by tapping the “X” at the top corner.

If you’d like to save your favorite programs for easy access or track how often you meditate or use other programs, you’ll need to sign up for a free account. 

You don’t have to decide anything right away – give the app a try first to see if you like it.

If you decide that you’d like to sign up for an account to save your progress, use the menu along the bottom to go to your Profile.

When you open the app, you’ll see a peaceful nature scene, hear soothing background sounds, and see a menu at the bottom: Home, Discover, Profile, and Premium.

Just above that bottom menu, you’ll see buttons with labels like “Meditation,” “Sleep,” “Music,” and more. Scroll this area right and left to see all the options.

Here, we’ll explain how to use the free features.

Meditation

Meditation section

Tapping the Meditation button takes you to a variety of meditation programs.

Our favorite helpful free programs include:

• How to Meditate – find it in the For Beginners section
• 7 Days of Calm – find it in the For Beginners section
• 7 Days of Sleep – find it in the Sleep Better section
• 7 Days of Calming Anxiety – find it in the Coping With Anxiety section
• Take a Deep Breath (breathing exercises) – find it in the Quick & Easy section
• Timed Meditation (1 min meditation with soothing nature sounds) – find it in the Quick & Easy section

Browse the various sections to find additional free meditation programs; the selection changes over time.

Check-Ins

Check-Ins section

Scroll the button area to find the Check-Ins button.

If you create a free account to track progress, you can use this section to track your feelings and mood over time.

 

Breathe

Breathe section

Scroll the button area to find the Breathe button.

The Relax exercise guides you through a timed breathing exercise that’s designed to help you relax and find your calm.

Final Thoughts on the Calm App

Incorporating the Calm app into your daily life is a simple yet powerful step toward managing the immense stress of caregiving. By using its free features – such as the guided “7 Days of Calm” or a one-minute timed meditation, you can create an instant sanctuary of peace, even if you have only a moment to spare in another room.

Remember, taking these short, intentional breaks is not a distraction from your responsibilities; it's an investment in your ability to fulfill them with greater calm and compassion. As you make these tools a regular practice, you'll likely find yourself better equipped to handle challenges, more present for your loved one, and more attuned to your own need for restoration.

Your well-being matters, and with resources like this at your fingertips, finding moments of calm becomes a practical, sustainable part of your caregiving journey.

Next Steps: Get the free Calm mobile app for iPhone or Android

 

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