10 Mind-Blowing Ways That Grief Impacts the Physical Body – And How You Can Reclaim Your Vitality

Grief is more than just emotional - it's like a storm that reshapes not only your mind but your body. If you're someone who has experienced loss and found that your physical health has been impacted in ways you never expected, then this article is for you. Let's dive into the ten profound ways grief transforms your physical being, and discover three simple yet transformative exercises to help reset your system today. This isn't just an article, it's an invitation to reclaim your vitality, to reconnect with your inner strength, and begin the journey to a healthier, more balanced life on your terms.

My deepest gratitude to the phenomenal Dr. Mary Frances O'Connor for her latest book 'The Grieving Body' which has inspired this article. It's helped grief explorers like me understand the neurophysiological aspects of grief that are often hidden from us and now this info is availabie for you too. So let's get to it.

As you read through this, I ask you to remember this: while grief may have altered your physical landscape, YOU hold the power to nurture your body back to equilibrium. Open your heart to the possibility that healing is within reach—and let's dive into how grief physically impacts you and how you can begin to reclaim your health and balance.

1. Brain Chemistry Changes: When Grief Alters the Garden of Your Mind.

Grief can fundamentally change your brain's chemistry. It affects neurotransmitters responsible for stress regulation and happiness, leaving you with memory lapses and a persistent brain fog. Yes, brain fog is a real thing with many reporting how unsettling this grief experience is, but more on that later. Imagine your brain as an intricate, vibrant garden. When grief strikes, it's as if a harsh storm has swept through, altering the soil's balance and slowing the growth of your most cherished thoughts and emotions. Just like any garden can be nurtured back to bloom with the right care, so too can your mind regain its former brilliance with mindful support and self-care.

Harmony tip: Visualize yourself tending to your own inner garden— with the right amount of nurturing of your mind and body for it to bloom again. What is it that you would truly need? More rest, more energy, more clarity? Take some time to note what would make the greatest impact in your life today, for it holds clues on where to focus your attention.

2. Energy Drain: When Grief Steals Your Vitality.

Grief often feels like an energy leech, sapping your strength and leaving you exhausted. Think of your energy as the battery that powers your entire life. Every daily task, every emotional challenge, and even every moment of silent suffering draws from the energy reserves within you. When grief runs in the background like a relentless app, like the apps on your smartphone, it drains your battery, and you may feel as though you can barely manage the simplest of tasks. This is why grief therapists often speak about the importance of self-care. During grief, self-care becomes not a luxury, but a necessity, especially in the early months and years following the death of a loved one. Recognizing the energy drain is the first step towards reclaiming your energy. With proper care and restorative practices, you can regain your full power and resilience so you can engage in life with renewed clarity and energy.

Harmony tip: Make note of the activities that seem to drain you of energy and which activities seem to spark a little more energy. Upon waking, give yourself an energy rating out of 10 based on your energy reserves and consider small tweaks to your daily schedule that might either conserve your energy on those 'energy poor' days or could even optimize your energy on those days also, like tapping or talking with a friend.

3. Disrupted Sleep Patterns: The Restorative Sleep You Deserve.

Have you noticed that grief can turn your nights into a restless struggle? Whether you find yourself taking endless cat naps or tossing and turning until dawn, the disruption of your sleep patterns is a common physical manifestation of grief. Sleep is the cornerstone of healing; it's your body's way of recharging and repairing itself.

Without restorative sleep, your body and mind are left in a state of imbalance. Imagine sleep as the gentle tide that cleanses your soul each night. When grief robs you of that tide, the waves of exhaustion and stress continue to roll in.

By establishing healthy sleep habits and creating calming bedtime rituals, you can invite back the restorative sleep your body craves. So allow your nights to become a sanctuary where healing begins.

Harmony tip: Embrace some kind of relaxation practice (like a magnesium salt bath) prior to bedtime that is free from devices and allows you to enter that state of deeper, restorative calm your body and mind are craving.

4. Appetite Changes: The Body's Response to Emotional Turbulence.

Grief doesn't just tug at your heart; it can also alter your appetite. Some find that grief suppresses their hunger, leading to weight loss, while others experience an increase in appetite that might result in weight gain. This fluctuation is your body's natural stress response, driven by the surge of hormones like cortisol that come into play during times of loss.

Think of your appetite as a subtle barometer of your emotional state. When your body is overwhelmed by grief, these changes signal that something within needs healing. Recognize that your physiological response is your body speaking to you about the need for a balanced, nurturing approach.

Harmony tip: Consider your appetite changes as an invitation to listen more intently to your body's cues. By aligning your nutrition and self-care routines with your emotional needs, you can gently guide your body back to harmony. So go ahead and ask yourself, "What foods or practices would nourish me right now?" Every positive choice you make is a step toward reclaiming your health.

5. Immune System Suppression & Heightened Physical Pain: The Toll of Unspoken Stress.

Have you been falling ill more often or experiencing unexplained aches and pains? The stress of grief can suppress your immune system, making you more vulnerable to infections and physical discomfort. Your immune system is like an elite defense force—when grief weakens it, your body is left exposed and vulnerable to uninvited forces that you would normally fend off.

In addition to increased susceptibility to illness, grief can manifest as physical pain, such as headaches, muscle tension, and general bodily discomfort. It's as though every pain is a physical reminder of the emotional storm brewing within.

The good news is that by recognizing these symptoms, you can take proactive steps to support your immune health. Simple practices like mindfulness, tapping, and gentle movement all help to reduce inflammation. These actions empower you to reclaim control over your physical well-being.

Harmony tip: Commit to small actions to move you toward healing, whether that's doing some simple breathing exercises, taking a short walk in nature, or practicing mindfulness throughout your day. Small practices can lead to big healing effects.

6. Brain Fog: Navigating the Haze of Grief.

One of the most disorienting aspects of grief is the sense of pervasive brain fog -- that feeling of mental cloudiness that makes even simple decisions feel overwhelming. Imagine your mind as a computer juggling multiple applications. When grief runs in the background, it consumes much of your mental processing power, leaving you feeling scattered and unfocused.

This fog can hinder your ability to concentrate, to make decisions, or simply remember everyday details, like where you placed your keys (did you check the fridge?!). Yet, even amidst this haze, there is a silver lining: your mind is working tirelessly to process and adapt to the monumental changes grief brings.

Harmony tip: Simple strategies, like making to-do lists, keeping notes, or even practicing mindfulness can help clear away the fog and restore clarity. Every time you take a moment to organize your thoughts, you're giving your mind a chance to regain its strength and focus.

7. Cardiovascular Health Risks: The Hidden Strain of Grief.

Research has shown that grief can elevate the risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes, especially in the first year after a loss.* The intense stress associated with grief activates a cascade of physiological responses that puts added pressure on your heart and blood vessels. The good news is, cardiovascular risks decrease over time.

While this may sound alarming, understanding this connection can empower you to take preventive measures and to have grief-related conversations with your doctors.

Harmony tip: Start integrating stress reduction techniques into your grief self-care. Practices like meditation, gentle exercises like yoga, and anything that brings in more calm, can help mitigate these risks and nurture your heart back to health.

8. Altered Perceptions: The Distorted Lenses of Grief.

Grief has a curious way of altering your perception of the world around you and your self in that space. It can make spaces around you seem distorted, like things can suddenly appear smaller or bigger, and it can make you feel out of touch with your body altogether, all without the use of psychedelics! According to Dr. Mary Frances O'Connor, there's a communication mishap between two key areas of the brain, one that orients our body's position in space and the other which regulates our emotional responses. According to Dr. Mary Frances O'Connor, the parts of the brain which are responsible for navigation and spatial awareness are impacted by the cognitive and emotional stress and overload. So feeling a little trippy isn't merely a mind trick; it's a genuine effect of the stress that grief induces.

Consider your perception as a lens through which you experience reality. When that lens is clouded by grief, everyday experiences can feel unrecognizable. But the beauty of this realization is that, like any lens, it can be adjusted. With the right practices and support focused on stress management, you can gradually restore your ability to see the world as it truly is and to feel more connected to your body so you can rediscover a world that is—and your body within it—being filled with clarity, possibility, and hope once again.

Harmony tip: If things feel a little 'out there', try keeping regular routines that allow for some daily structure. In addition, any practice that helps you to reconnect with your senses, like mindfulness, grounding techniques, or gentle somatic movements like yoga, all help to counteract any disoriented experiences.

9. Hormonal Imbalances: The Internal Seesaw of Grief.

Grief doesn't just affect your mood either; it can also send your hormones into a spin. The intricate dance of hormones that regulates your energy, mood, and overall well-being can become disrupted, leading to symptoms like fatigue, mood swings, and heightened sensitivity.

Imagine your hormones as a delicate seesaw. Under normal conditions, balance is maintained effortlessly. However, grief can tilt that balance, creating a cascade of physical and emotional challenges. Recognizing this seesaw is crucial, as it offers a powerful insight into how intertwined your emotional and physical states truly are.

Harmony Tip: By adopting holistic practices such as mindfulness, gentle exercise, and energy therapies like EFT tapping and Reiki, you can begin to restore balance. These practices not only help to stabilize your hormones but also pave the way for a more harmonious state of being.

10. Long-Term Health Changes: The Need for Ongoing Self-Care.

While the immediate effects of grief can be profound without the right self-care, the impact on your health can also extend into the future. Over time, prolonged grief can contribute to long-term changes in your overall health.

Think of your health as a long-term investment. The steps you take today to manage the physical impacts of grief are building blocks for a healthier tomorrow. Whether it's through regular health check-ups, integrating stress-reduction techniques into your daily routine, or simply being kind to yourself, every positive choice is a step toward your long-lasting well-being.

Healing from grief is as much about nurturing your body as it is about attending to your heartache. Integrative approaches—from mindfulness and meditation to somatic practices like gentle yoga and EFT tapping—are essential to resetting the balance in your life. By understanding how grief physically reshapes you, you empower yourself to take proactive steps toward recovery.

Harmony Tip: Imagine waking up feeling as though you have vitality, clarity, and the energy to deal with whatever grief-like storms may suddenly appear. Engage in simple holistic self-care practices, where every practice is another step toward restoring harmony in your body and mind. Whether you're taking a calming bath with magnesium salts, practicing deep, mindful breathing, or engaging in a brief tapping session to release tension, each action is a declaration of self-love and care.

So allow yourself to embrace these healing practices with an open heart, trusting that each step can bring you closer to reclaiming your vitality.

Transformative Practices to Reset Your System.

Below are three simple yet profoundly effective mindfulness-based exercises that can help you reset your system and ease the physical burdens of grief. These practices are designed to integrate mind, body, and spirit, and they serve as a gentle introduction to the healing techniques available when you work with me or other holistic practitioners:

Exercise 1: Ground Yourself

1. Find a Quiet Space: Sit comfortably in a calm environment where you won't be disturbed.

2. Connect with the Earth: Notice your feet firmly planted on the ground. Feel the support of the earth beneath you—imagine it as a source of stability and strength.

3. Breathe Deeply: Allow your natural breath to flow, and with each exhale, feel the tension melting away in each part of your body. Visualize or sense your energy being replenished by the earth's nurturing embrace.

4. Reflect: As you ground yourself, introduce a silent yet powerful prompt for your brain, "I am rooted, I am supported, and I am healing." Let this mantra settle deep into your heart.

   
   

Exercise 2: Explore the Power of the Breath

1. Begin with Awareness: Close your eyes and focus solely on your breathing. Notice the natural rhythm of your inhalations and exhalations and the coolness and warmth of each breath.

2. Count Your Breath: Slowly count with each exhale. Gradually, extend the length of your out-breath compared to your in-breath. Notice what happens to your body as your out-breath starts to extend.

3. Anchor with a Mantra: Choose a word that resonates with you to prime the brain toward more ease, e.g., "calm," "ease," or "peace." With each breath, silently repeat your chosen word, letting it guide you to a state of relaxation.

4. Expand your Relaxation: Picture or sense the tension in your body flowing out with each exhale, replaced by a serene sense of balance.

   
   

Exercise 3: Mindful Walking

1. Find a quiet space: and take your shoes off.

2. Feel the connection of your feet to the ground. Begin walking at a slower pace than usual.

3. Notice your movements: notice how your foot lifts off the ground, how it moves through the air, and reconnects with the ground.

4. Explore the sensations: feel the textures on the ground and notice the shifts in pressure from one foot to another. While you walk, expand your focus to the environment around you—what can you smell or see in your surroundings while maintaining a focus on your feet?

   
   

Your Invitation to a Transformative Experience

By integrating simple holistic practices as part of your grief self- care, you can transform grief from a debilitating force into a catalyst for profound personal growth. Your path to healing is not only about surviving the storms—it's about emerging stronger, more connected, and ready to embrace life with renewed purpose.

If you've felt the weight of grief in your body and are ready to reclaim your health, I invite you to take the next step. Visit my website today to explore further resources you can use, engage with a supportive community, or book a personalized session designed to guide you through this journey of healing.

In these sessions, we integrate cutting-edge subconscious techniques with proven healing practices to help you:

• Rebalance your brain chemistry and clear the fog.

• Recharge your energy and regain the vitality you deserve.

• Restore your sleep, appetite, and overall physical health.

• Nurture both your emotional and physical self, paving the way for long-term wellness.

  
  

While grief may alter your body in profound ways, it also holds the potential to ignite a transformation within you. The physical impacts—from disrupted sleep to hormonal imbalances—are not just signs of loss; they are signals urging you to nurture and reclaim your power and healing energy.

References:

O'Connor, Mary Frances (2025) - The Grieving Body: How the Stress of Loss Can Be an Opportunity for Healing.

Christina is a cancer social worker, Matrix Reimprinting, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) practitioner and Reiki master-teacher with a love of energy based and mindfulness practices.

She works with people to free themselves from their grief struggles so they can move through life with more ease, confidence, love and joy, all while honouring their loved ones and themselves in their own unique way.

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