Grief doesn’t just drain you’re heart, it drains your body too.
Grieving isn’t simply an emotional experience; it reverberates throughout your whole being. It can leave you feeling heavy, weary, and physically depleted, even when you haven’t done much. That lingering exhaustion, the sense that your limbs and mind operate in slow motion, these aren’t signs of weakness. They’re the body’s way of responding to the upheaval of loss. This post will explain why you feel exhausted and what you can do to help it.
Why does grief make you exhausted?
Grief triggers profound changes in the body, these reactions explain why you feel exhausted:
- Stress hormone overload: Grief stimulates the release of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline(your body’s “fight-or-flight” signals.) While they may offer brief bursts of energy, sustained exposure leads to depletion and exhaustion over time.
- Sleep disruption: Grief often disturbs your sleep. From insomnia, oversleeping, nightmares, to fragmented rest. This results in you waking up tired, and that fatigue accumulates.
- Inflammation & immune strain: Intense grief can spark inflammation and suppress immunity, leaving you more vulnerable to ailments and also more fatigued from trying to fight off everyday bugs.
- Physical symptoms: Grief can also manifest as headaches, muscle tension, digestive upset, or chest tightness from the ammount of stress you are under, each adding to the overall sense of weariness.
- Cognitive load: Processing a new reality, navigating your memories and making decisions all consume energy. Your mind, like a muscle, tires when it’s asked to do more than it’s conditioned for in grief.
What grief fatigue can look and feel like
This fatigue can take many forms and may be why you feel exhausted:
- Waking up already exhausted as if sleep didn’t reset you.
- Brain fog, forgetfulness, trouble focusing.
- Feeling physically weak or heavy.
- New aches and pains in muscles, joints, or your head.
- Digestive issues or appetite changes.
- A sense that you are running on empty both emotionally and physically.
How to combat your grief fatigue
- Build Soft routines: Certain structures can leave you feeling overwhelmed, like you have to complete an entire list to feel accomplished, especially when grieving. However, simply starting your morning with gentle stretches, deep breaths, or sitting in silence to observe your thoughts and how they make you feel can be beneficial. These small anchors provide a sense of grounding when life feels chaotic.
- Stay hydrated and well nourished: Grief can disrupt your appetite or thirst. Even small acts like sipping water or eating a snack are powerful self-care tools to provide you with more energy.
- Self-care rituals: Brush your teeth, step outside for fresh air, or put on clean clothes. No matter how small these appear, they affirm your presence and can help restore connection with your body.
- Short Naps: small bursts of sleep can help recharge a body under emotional strain. Listen when your brain signals it needs rest.
- Digital Detox: When you’re emotionally burdened, it’s easy to slip into mindless doomscrolling for distraction or comfort. But staring at a screen often leaves you feeling more overstimulated and intensify feelings of anxiety. Stepping away, even briefly, can help your mind and body reset.
- Small movements: Don’t push yourself to move mountains; try walking around the house or taking a stroll in the garden for some fresh air. On the days when even getting out of bed feels impossible, wiggle your toes and fingers to help gently boost circulation around your body. If you have the energy to get out and about, try one of Heartbroken to Healed’s very own forest walks, where you can connect with others who are experiencing grief and take in the calming wonders of nature.