Grief Hurts Physically Too
My busy travel schedule has created a great avenue for making new acquaintances. However, is also responsible for making it difficult to keep up with many long time friends.
Not long ago though, I heard from a friend I was close to years ago. Sadly, I learned that her husband had passed away not too long ago.
I of course expected that emotionally she had experienced one of the worst times in her life. She mentioned though that she also experienced a great deal of physical issues during that period of time.
“I experienced horrible headaches, suffered back trouble and could barely move. Plus, I was worn out, but could not sleep.”
Few emotions compare to the difficulty of grief. Many theories surrounding the stages of grief exist. Added to the complexity are other emotions that are tied in such as overwhelming saddness, guilt and shock.
It is little wonder that the body will react to such stress. Some symptoms include headaches, changes in sleeping and eating, poor physical strength and overall anxiety.
Inside, a person can be in complete turmoil, even if externally they seem very slow moving. Breathing changes can occur due to anxiety (shortness of breath). “I felt incredibly anxious, even though I seemed to barely be moving.”
Each person experiences loss very differently, so there are no special rules of exactly how to handle it. However, it is very important not to ignore physical health during this difficult time.
Keeping your health in check during such a difficult time is not vastly different than any other.
Exercise. Walking may be the only thing you feel up to. But that along can help improve muscle tone and keep weight in check.
It is still very important to eat properly. Certain foods are easy to turn to in times of stress but try to keep nutrition in mind. The body requires the right fuel more than ever.
Take a break. Shallow breathing lessens the oxygen intake. Practice deep breathing to help with relaxation and counter additional anxiety.
Also tend to your emotional needs. Some people find great comfort in talking it through with others such as in a group situation. Others prefer one on one support either with a professional or with someone else they trust .
Also important to understand is that I am not suggesting you attempt to hurry this process. Those who have been through it as well as researchers all agree that there is no special timetable that each person should be inclined to follow.
I was happy to hear that my friend has accepted the loss even if she will forever miss her spouse. She did stress though that she made changes to address her physical problems.
“I started to recognize the anxiety and learned to relax. I started deep breathing (kind of like meditating or something) and found it extremely helpful. I then started eating much better and my sleeping improved.”
Walking also made a big difference. “I couldn’t believe how much better I started sleeping after getting some physical activity.”
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