Grief is an emotional hurdle. You have feelings of loss, sadness, and heartache. There are usually bouts of crying, mood swings, and periods of isolation.
But what many people overlook is the physical toll that grief, like other trauma, can take on the body. No matter what is causing you to grieve – the loss of a loved one, a career shift, a relationship ending, or a major life change – you may very well experience physical manifestations of your grief.
These physical symptoms can have an equal impact as the emotional symptoms, causing a decline in your quality of life. Understanding how your grief is affecting your body can help you find the most effective path to healing. Here are five ways grief can affect the body.
A Weakened Immune System
When you’re in the midst of grief, one of the first things to occur is a weakened immune system. The sheer stress of the loss alone can cause hormonal imbalance. Your body releases cortisol in elevated amounts for a longer period than what is considered normal.
This heightened release of cortisol can suppress your immune system function. Your body becomes more susceptible to common colds, infections, and chronic illnesses depending on how long the grief process takes. If you do come down with something, you’ll likely take longer to recover.
Cardiovascular Strain
The heartache that comes with grief isn’t solely emotional. There can be an actual impact on your heart and cardiovascular system.
Grief can cause an increase in your blood pressure and heart rate. In some instances, it can lead to something called stress-induced cardiomyopathy, also known as broken heart syndrome. While this sounds like something straight out of The Notebook, it’s an actual real-life phenomenon. It can feel like you’re having a heart attack and mimic its symptoms.
Digestive Issues
Your gut is extremely intuitive and can easily be thrown off whack when you enter a grieving period. It’s not uncommon to experience a change in your eating habits and feelings of hunger.
Whenever you do eat, you may feel nauseous or have stomach pains following your meal. This shift in your eating may also lead to changes in your bowel movements, resulting in discomfort such as diarrhea or constipation.
Fatigue and Muscle Aches
Going through the emotional toll day after day can also become physically exhausting. This may present as fatigue, muscle aches, tension, and general body aches. Dealing with the emotional challenges, combined with the physical struggles, can make grief feel like an uphill battle on many fronts.
Simple day-to-day tasks can become overwhelming, work responsibilities carry added challenges, and anything more involved can be nearly impossible to get through.
Sleep Disturbances
It should be no surprise that grief would interfere with your rest and sleep. You’ve got a lot on your mind. You’re dealing with an array of physical symptoms that make anything feel challenging. Sleep should be easy, but it oftentimes isn’t.
You may find it challenging to fall asleep at night due to a racing mind. You may sleep easily, but find yourself waking up frequently throughout the night. During your sleep cycles, you may experience vivid or unpleasant dreams about the person or thing you’re grieving.
These types of sleep disruptions can add to your fatigue, but also cause you to be irritable or struggle with focus throughout your day.
Getting the Help You Need
Just like other trauma, grief can impact both your mind and your body. Each person will have a different experience with their grief, so recognizing your symptoms and triggers can help direct you on the path to healing.
It’s important to remember that healing takes time, and you don’t have to do this alone. If your symptoms are persistent and interfering with your daily life, consider grief therapy. If you’re interested in more about trauma counseling, click on the link. I am here to help you develop the tools you need to overcome your challenges. Reach out to me to schedule your first appointment.