Simple self care keeps volunteers healthy, local columnist warns

In a recent column, Kyle Snyder encouraged people to preserve a small reserve of energy for themselves even as they care for others during the holidays. Snyder used the airplane oxygen mask analogy to stress that those who give must first secure basic needs for their own safety and wellbeing so they can continue assisting neighbors and community programs.

The column offered practical, low effort suggestions for recharging when time is limited. Short relaxing baths, warming comfort foods, and playing games with family were highlighted as accessible ways to restore energy. Snyder framed these small acts as a strategy to sustain giving, noting that consistent, modest self care can prevent exhaustion and allow volunteers to keep serving throughout the season.

That message has clear public health implications for Holmes County. Volunteer run food distributions, holiday outreach, faith based assistance, and neighborhood mutual aid networks are critical during winter months. When volunteers face chronic stress and fatigue, the capacity of these informal systems can shrink, creating gaps in service just when demand rises. Burnout contributes to stress related health problems, reduces volunteer retention, and increases pressure on local clinics and social services.

Equity concerns are central to this conversation. People with limited access to paid leave, reliable transportation, and mental health care are more likely to shoulder caregiving and volunteer burdens without adequate supports. Encouraging simple self care is important, but it does not replace structural supports. Local leaders and organizations can amplify Snyders point by building policies and practices that reduce strain on volunteers. This can include predictable scheduling for volunteer shifts, respite opportunities, targeted funding for community programs, and easier access to behavioral health services.

For residents, Snyders reminder is practical and compassionate. Small, routine practices can protect individual health and the collective ability to care for others. As Holmes County moves through the holiday period, sustaining the helpers means both personal attention to self care and a commitment by institutions to share the responsibility of care.