Title: How to Cope With the Physical Effects of Grief
Headings: How to Cope With the Physical Effects of Grief
How to Cope With the Physical Effects of Grief
Digestive Problems
Driving Ability
Energy Loss
Illness
Miscellaneous
Nervousness
Pain or Discomfort
Sleeping Too Little
Sleeping Too Much
Weight Gain
Weight Loss
Temperature-Related Discomfort
Coping With the Physical Effects of Grief
Stay Hydrated
Get Exercise
Eat Properly
Get Rest

Content: or unexpected emotional responses behind the wheel, such as tears or sobbing, that physically interfere with our driving ability. Energy Loss
Grief is hard work and, as noted above, takes a toll on our bodies. 4 ﻿ For numerous reasons, including poor eating habits and disrupted sleep patterns, grievers often experience low energy levels, feelings of fatigue, or weakness in their muscles. Illness
The stress of losing a loved one to death and the subsequent grief can reduce or suppress your immune system, making you more susceptible to coming down with a cold or catching the flu. 5 ﻿ In addition, those with an existing chronic health condition might experience a worsening of their symptoms. 4 ﻿
Miscellaneous
In addition to the physical effects you might experience when grieving a death, some mourners have also reported experiencing dry mouth, noise sensitivity, trembling or feeling shaky, tightness in the throat or chest, shortness of breath, and increased allergy symptoms. 3 ﻿
Nervousness
Feeling nervous or anxious often manifests itself in physical ways, such as tapping your fingers, pacing back and forth, fidgetiness, an inability to sit and relax in one place for long, sweaty or clammy hands/feet, or feelings of tingling or numbness in those same extremities. Pain or Discomfort
Our bodies are truly miraculous and despite the many advances in science and medicine, we still don't fully understand the marvelous connectedness of the "human machine." We do know, however, that our brains can trigger genuine physical responses to real or imagined things we perceive, such as pain felt in a "phantom limb" after its amputation or pain while grieving. 6 ﻿
Likewise, the experience of grieving a death can induce genuine feelings of pain or discomfort in our bodies, such as headaches or migraines, heart pain, heaviness in the limbs, aches in the neck, back, or skeletal joints, or overall muscular pain.