Title: Grief can hurt — in more ways than one - Harvard Health
Headings: Grief can hurt — in more ways than one
Grief can hurt — in more ways than one
Stress and depression may lead to new health issues or intensify the symptoms of existing conditions.
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Stress and grief
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Content: Whether you're grieving the loss of a loved one, a job, a home, or a beloved pet, it's important to understand how the process puts your health in jeopardy. Stress and grief
Grieving takes a toll on the body in the form of stress. " That affects the whole body and all organ systems, and especially the immune system," Dr. Malin says. Evidence suggests that immune cell function falls and inflammatory responses rise in people who are grieving. That may be why people often get sick more often and use more health care resources during this period. But why is stress so hard on us? It's because the body unleashes a flood of stress hormones that can worsen many existing conditions (such as heart failure or diabetes) or lead to new ones (such as high blood pressure or heartburn). Stress can also cause insomnia and changes in appetite. Coronavirus COVID-19 Resource Center
While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage in parts of the world, it is slowly retreating in the U.S. There are now three FDA-authorized vaccines, including one for children as young as 12. The vaccines are proving to be nearly as effective in the real world as they were in clinical trials.