When we think of loss and grief, our minds often think of the emotional toll it takes, such as how it affects our mental health and well-being. What many of us don’t consider, however, is just how much grief can impact our physical health. Whether it’s lack of sleep, permanent headaches, or sudden changes in appetite, the physical effects of grief are more overwhelming than you might initially think.
It’s important to know that these reactions are completely normal. It’s okay if you’re feeling exhausted, both physically and mentally, as you navigate these challenges. It’s our hope, that in today’s blog, we can help you understand why grief has such a large physical impact and share some ways you can help improve your physical wellbeing.
How Does Our Body Change After Loss?
You might have heard how much our bodies change when we deal with stress. Well, its the same when it comes to loss. Our bodies reflect the emotional toll of grief, showing physical symptoms such as exhaustion, sleep disturbances and mood changes. You should know that all these behaviours are normal, and it’s a typical sign of the physical effects of grief. Understanding what grief is and how it affects us can make it easier to recognise why loss impacts us in so many different ways. Here are some of the most common ways grief shows through our bodies.
Falling Sick More Often
A common sign that your grief is taking a toll on your physical body is you becoming sick more often. When we become upset and stressed, our immune systems take a hit and our body’s natural defences naturally get weaker, making us more vulnerable to illnesses. This is why you might find yourself falling sick more often after a significant loss. Your body is working overtime to cope with the emotional pain, leaving your immune system more prone to catching colds and infections. Listen to your body during this time, get some rest and take things slow.
Aching Muscles
Similarly, our bodies can manifest our emotional pain as physical discomfort which in turn can cause us to have aching muscles and pains. In the same way you feel tension in your shoulders and neck when you’re stressed, grief causes tension throughout the body, leading to tightness in these same areas. This happens because hormones like cortisol surge during grief, causing muscles to tighten and become fatigued. If you’re experiencing this physical impact of grief, we recommend giving yourself time to relax and rest. You could also try stretching and some gentle physical exercise like walking or yoga. Physical symptoms are only one part of grief, and understanding why we cry during grief can also help explain some of our emotional responses to loss.
Appetite Changes
Another totally normal physical symptom of grief is changes in appetite. Some of you might lose interest in food altogether while others might turn to food for comfort, leading to overeating. Know that both reactions are okay, and you should approach these changes with self-compassion. But one of the greatest ways to lessen the physical impact of grief is to eat well. Try finding some quick-to-make but healthy and balanced meals that you enjoy, so even when your appetite wavers, you’re more likely to finish the meal.
Feeling Tired
Finally, possibly one of the most common ways we see the physical impact of grief is fatigue. The emotional burden of loss can lead to overthinking at bedtime; we question our current challenges, the things we have to do, and relive the memories with our loved ones. Vivid nightmares and dreams are also common which can disrupt your sleep. All these things add up, leaving us drained and exhausted the next day. Our best advice for this is to establish a calming bedtime routine. Spray some calming sleep spray on your pillow, read one of your favourite books or listen to some music as you sleep. These things will help calm and distract your mind so you can get a good night’s rest.
How Can I Ease the Physical Impact of Grief?
Breathwork
Something you can do anywhere, at any time of the day to help with the physical impact of grief is breathwork. When we’re grieving, our bodies often enter a state of heightened stress, which without us realising can lead to increased tension and shallow breathing. It can be really helpful to take slow, deep breaths to calm down our nervous system which in turn reduces stress hormones and promotes relaxation.
Self-Care
During grief, it can be easy to default to an “on-the-go” mode to distract ourselves from our feelings. Instead, we might try and take care of everyone else or throw ourselves into funeral planning. While distractions can be useful, it’s still important to recognise that rest and relaxation is just as important. You need to find a balance between addressing both your physical and mental wellbeing, and a great way to do that is through self-care. This can be something as small as applying a facemask one evening, watching your favourite TV show or taking a walk in the fresh air. Small acts of self-care like this can do wonders in easing the physical impact of grief. This is one reason why the relationship between grief and mental health is so important to understand during bereavement.
Talk to Someone
It’s an obvious one, but we promise talking to someone about your grief can seriously alleviate its physical impact. Whether you feel most comfortable sharing your feelings with friends, family or your partner, or you prefer to reach out to strangers in online forums or in-person grief support groups, these people can offer a sense of community and understanding to help you ease the physical impact of grief. If you’re seeking a space to connect with others who understand your journey, we have a Facebook support group where you can find connection through shared experiences.
Memorial Jewellery
Our customers are proof that memorial jewellery can be another way to cope with the loss of your loved one. Engraving jewellery with their fingerprints, handwriting, name or even photograph, creates a reminder of their presence. They might not be able to be with you physically anymore, but having a piece of jewellery dedicated to them can help you feel connected when you need it most. Our ashes jewellery offers the same effect, allowing you to carry their remains with you wherever you go, whether that be encapsulating their ashes into colourful resin or holding them safe in our of our urn jewellery pieces.
It’s our hope that every time you look down at your memorial jewellery, you’ll find some level of comfort and reassurance. It might even ease the physical impact of grief, encouraging you to take a deep breath, reach out for support or find solace in your precious memories. If you’d like to learn more, we’ve also explored in greater detail how grief affects the body and the physical symptoms many people experience after loss.
