C
oping with the death of
a loved one is one of the
hardest challenges you
can face in life. The emotional
effects are obvious, but you
may also suffer from physical
problems that are due to the
grief you’re experiencing.
IT WEAKENS YOUR IMMUNITY
Your immune system protects
your body against illness and
infection. Research shows that
being grief-stricken can affect
your ability to fight off germs
and viruses, especially if you’re
extremely sad and upset for a
long time.
One study showed that older
adults who had lost a loved one
had weaker immune systems
compared with those who
weren’t experiencing grief.
Other research found that
people who lost a child reported
that they suffered from more
illnesses than usual during the
first year following the death.
The conditions they suffered
from the most included colds
and flu, headaches, anxiety,
infections, depression and
chest pains.
Other studies have shown
that people in mourning who
have existing medical conditions
can experience worsening
symptoms. This may be due to
stress hormones circulating in
their bodies.
IT CAUSES HEART PROBLEMS
One study has shown that you
are 21 times more likely to have
a heart attack in the 24 hours
after a loved one dies. After one
week, the risk of a heart attack is
still six times more likely. There’s
also an increased risk of a stroke- that’s what Hollywood movie
legend Debbie Reynolds died
of just a day after her daughter
Carrie Fisher passed away.
There is also a medical
condition called broken heart
syndrome, which is brought
on by stressful life events such
as bereavement. It’s a short-term
condition in which the heart
doesn’t pump properly, and it
can affect people who have
previously been healthy. It’s
believed that the heart struggles
to do its job because of a huge
increase in stress hormones.
Symptoms include sudden pain
that is so severe you feel like
you’re having a heart attack. You
may also find it hard to breathe.
IT AFFECTS YOUR SLEEP
One of the biggest issues faced
by sufferers of grief is a lack of
sleep. They may have trouble
falling asleep because they can’t
shut off their thoughts or they
may be prone to waking in the
night and being unable to get
back to sleep. As a result, they
end up fatigued and can have
difficulty concentrating.
Before going to bed, try
to wind down. Have a bath,
read a book, practise relaxation
exercises or meditate. Avoid
looking at screens for an hour
before bed as the light they
emit can disrupt your body
clock and make it harder for
you to sleep.
IT CAN LEAD TO DEPRESSION
It’s normal to experience
extreme sadness when you’ve
lost someone you love. But in
some cases, grief can trigger
depression, which is a serious
illness that can affect your
ability to function properly.
It can also play a part in other
health conditions.
One study found thatabout 25%of
widows and
widowersdea
with clinical
depression
in the first
year after
the death of
their spouse.
It can
be hard to
distinguish
the normal
symptoms
of grief from
the signsof
depression.Typicalgriefis when
yoursadthoughtsandfeelings
occurin burstsandarefollowed
byperiodsofrespite,whereyou
canbedistractedfromthepain.
If yourlowmooddoesn’tliftand
youareunabletoexperience
oranticipatejoyorpleasure,
you’relikelytobesuffering
fromdepression.
YOUCANGETUNEXPLAINED
ACHESANDPAINS
Peoplesufferingfroma
bereavementmaynoticethey
havejointorbackpainor
headachesfornoobvious
reason.Thiscouldbedueto
anincreasedtensionin your
musclesbecauseofstress
hormonesreleasedbyyour
bodyin responsetogrief.
Thisshouldimproveover
time.If it doesn’t,it’sa good
ideatotalktoyourdoctor,and
dothingsthathelpyourelax,
suchassoakingin thebath,
goingfora walkorpractising
relaxationexercises.
IT INCREASESINFLAMMATION
Grievingcanleadtoyour
immunesystemgoingonhigh
alertbecauseit feelsunder
threat.ThechemicalsyourbodyDid you know?
Grief can alsoleadtoanincreasein
alcohol and substanceabuse.A study
of nearly 250adultswhohadlosta
parent showedthatthey weremore
than twice aslikelytoabusealcohol
or drugs thanpeoplewhostillhad
their mum anddad.releasesin responsetothis
canleadtoinflammationand
swellingin thetissues.Over
time,thisinflammationcan
playa rolein heartdisease,
diabetes,arthritisandpossibly
evencancer.In theshort-term,
youmaynoticethisas
unexplainedachesandpains.
IT CANAFFECTDIGESTION
Thechemicalswereleasein
responsetostressaffecta lot
ofprocessesin thebody,
includingdigestion.
Theycanmakeyounauseous
andcanupsetyourstomachor
therestofyourdigestivetract.
Youmayexperiencestomach
cramps,diarrhoea,constipation,
ulcersandirritablebowel
syndrome.If youhavestomach
issuesthatwon’tgoaway,see
yourdoctor.
Grief-triggeredhormones
mayalsoaffectthehunger
signalsourbrainssendout.
Youmayloseyourappetiteand
struggletoeatatall,although
sometimestheopposite
happens– youeatmorethan
normalasa formofcomfort.alTil ifi h Grief over the death of a loved one can manifest physically.New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 53