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📰 Subject: 😴 When Your Body Says “Enough” (Stuck in the Middle #235)

Stuck in the Middle News — Issue #235 — Monday, December 1, 2025

👋 Welcome, New (and Exhausted) Friends

If you’re caring for aging parents, raising kids, trying to keep work on track, and still show up for your partner… and your body feels like it’s falling apart, this one’s for you.

Every Monday and Thursday, Stuck in the Middle News drops simple, real-world ideas to make your financial, emotional, and physical load a little lighter.

If this was forwarded to you and you want your own copy, just reply “SUBSCRIBE” to this email and we’ll add you.

🧠 Big Thought: Your Body Is Not “Optional Equipment”

Most people in the sandwich generation run their body like a rental car on a one-day contract:

• Too little sleep

• Meals grabbed in the car

• Zero time to move, stretch, or breathe

• Constant “I’ll deal with it later” about our own health

Recent caregiver research shows exactly what you already feel: caregiving leads to higher rates of exhaustion, poorer sleep, more illness, and long-term health issues if we ignore the warning lights. nucdf.org+1

Here’s the mindset shift for this week:

If you collapse, everything you’re holding up comes crashing down too: your parents’ care, your kids’ stability, your income, your relationship.

So this issue is about physical survival:

• More energy

• Fewer “I’m completely fried” days

• Tiny, realistic changes that fit inside a life that already feels too full

You don’t need a perfect routine. You just need one or two non-negotiables that protect your health the way you protect everyone else’s.

🧰 Money Moves: 7-Day “Runway to Feeling Human Again” Checklist

This week’s checklist is about physical health without spending money. Bookmark this and work through it over the next 7 days.

1️⃣ Day 1 – Do a 10-Minute Body Inventory (No Judgment)
Grab a piece of paper or your notes app. Answer:

• How many hours did you sleep the last 3 nights?

• When did you last get bloodwork or a basic checkup?

• Where does your body complain the loudest (back, head, stomach, chest, joints)?

The National Institute on Aging reminds caregivers: when you neglect sleep, movement, and food, your health declines fast under caregiver stress. National Institute on Aging+1

2️⃣ Day 2 – Find One Local Support or Respite Option

Use this free Services by State tool from Family Caregiver Alliance:

https://www.caregiver.org/connecting-caregivers/services-by-state/ Caregiver

Click your state, then look for:

• Respite care

• Caregiver support programs

• Adult day programs

Write down at least one program and phone number. You don’t have to call yet. Just knowing what exists lowers anxiety and gives you options.

3️⃣ Day 3 – Ask for ONE Concrete Favor

Today, you are not allowed to do it all alone.

• Ask a sibling, friend, or neighbor to:

  • Sit with your parent for one hour

  • Drive a kid to practice

  • Pick up groceries

Script you can copy/paste:

Caregiver burnout drops when care is shared instead of silently carried alone. Parkinson's Foundation

4️⃣ Day 4 – One Appointment for YOU

Choose one of these and schedule it today:

• Primary care checkup

• Blood pressure check

• Telehealth visit for that thing you keep ignoring (back pain, chest tightness, chronic cough, etc.)

Caregiver guides from major health organizations repeat the same line: don’t cancel your own appointments to make room for everyone else’s. Harvard Health+1

5️⃣ Day 5 – Simple Night Routine to Protect Your Sleep

Tonight, 30–45 minutes before bed:

1. Put your phone on “Do Not Disturb” (except true emergencies).

2. Do 5 minutes of anything calming: slow stretching, deep breathing, or just sitting quietly.

3. Choose a “lights out” time and aim for it within 15 minutes.

Caregiver sleep tips from multiple studies: consistent bedtimes + even small amounts of daily movement = better sleep and less burnout. Caregiver Action Network+1

6️⃣ Day 6 – Use a Free Caregiver Resource to Save Time or Money

Pick one of these:

• National Family Caregiver Support Program overview:
  https://acl.gov/programs/support-caregivers/national-family-caregiver-support-program ACL Administration for Community Living

• Top 17 Resources for Family Caregivers (Family Caregiver Alliance):
  https://www.caregiver.org/resource/top-17-resources-for-family-caregivers/ Caregiver

Look for:

• Transportation help

• Respite vouchers

• Counseling or support groups

• Financial or legal guidance

Circle one resource you’ll call or email in the next 7 days.

7️⃣ Day 7 – 10 Minutes Outside

If it’s safe, go outside for 10 minutes:

• No podcasts, no phone calls.

• Just walk, breathe, or sit.

Your nervous system is under constant alarm. Short bursts of movement and fresh air help reset your stress response so you’re less snappy, foggy, or wiped out.

🛠️ Tool of the Week: Caregiver Mental Health Toolkit (Free)

This week’s tool is the Caregiver Mental Health Toolkit from the University of Illinois Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children. UIC Specialized Care for Children+1

You’ll find:

• Stress management strategies

• Self-care ideas that don’t require money or huge time blocks

• Worksheets and tools you can download

• Links to mental health and support resources

Check it out here:
https://dscc.uic.edu/caregiver-mental-health-toolkit/

Pick one worksheet or strategy and try it this week. Don’t try to do the whole thing. One small win beats another giant “someday” bookmark.

📰 Reads (All Free, No Paywall)

1. “Taking Care of Yourself: Tips for Caregivers” – National Institute on Aging
   Practical ideas on movement, food, sleep, and stress specifically for caregivers.
   https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/caregiving/taking-care-yourself-tips-caregivers National Institute on Aging

2. “Taking Care of YOU: Self-Care for Family Caregivers” – Family Caregiver Alliance
   The classic “put on your own oxygen mask first” article, with specific ways to get support and avoid isolation.
   https://www.caregiver.org/resource/taking-care-you-self-care-family-caregivers/ Caregiver

3. “Finding Balance: 8 Tips for Avoiding Caregiver Burnout” – Parkinson’s Foundation
   Applies to all caregivers: how to watch for burnout, build support, and protect your health.
   https://www.parkinson.org/blog/care/avoiding-burnout Parkinson's Foundation

🤝 SKOOL COMMUNITY – Come Where People “Get It”

If you want a place to talk about all of this with people who truly understand what it’s like to be stuck in the middle, come join the community here:

https://www.skool.com/stuck-in-the-middle-community-1730/about?ref=4956bcfb588b4962b89c23002360ff83

We talk about:

• Caring for parents and kids without burning out

• Money stress and how to stabilize it

• Relationship strain when everyone needs a piece of you

• Simple systems to feel less overwhelmed

You don’t have to do this alone.

💬 Connect With People Who Get It

Caregiving can feel isolating — and so can relationship stress.
Join our private Facebook group to talk to others who truly understand.

👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/stuckinthemiddlenews

💬 Reply & Engage: Tell Me This Week’s Warning Sign

Hit reply and tell me:

I read these myself, and they help shape future issues (and tools) so they’re actually useful in your real life.

↗️ Share the Relief

Know another friend, coworker, or sibling who’s:

• Driving to Mom’s appointments

• Paying for Dad’s meds

• Handling homework and elder care in the same night

• Trying to keep a relationship from falling apart?

Forward them this email and tell them, “You’re not crazy and you’re not alone.”

They can get their own copy by replying “SUBSCRIBE” to this email.

P.S. Coming Up…

In an upcoming issue, we’ll talk about having “the conversation” with your partner when you’re both exhausted, stressed, and keeping score about who does more.

Think “truce and teamwork,” not “who’s right.” Stay tuned.