Podcast Transcript

Welcome back to "Grief Untangled," where we unravel the complexities of grief and find pathways to healing and hope. Today, we're delving into a topic that often lingers in the background of grief but deserves our attention – the profound impact of grief on our physical health.

Before we dive in, I want to share a personal journey through this aspect of grief. In the first year after my loss, I experienced a myriad of physical challenges. The most prominent was the persistent lower back pain. It was a constant reminder of the weight I carried within. I found myself waking up in the middle of the night, my sleep was interrupted and once awake it was hard to get back to sleep. 

This grief also weakened my immune system, making me susceptible to illnesses.

These physical manifestations are more than coincidences. They are part of the body's intricate response to grief, closely linked to the primal "fight or flight" mechanism. This response, while invaluable in immediate life-threatening situations, can become detrimental when activated repeatedly over an extended period.

The fight or flight response is designed to prepare our bodies for rapid and intense action. It floods our system with stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, quickening our heart rate, sharpening our senses, and redirecting energy to essential functions required to contact the life-threatening situation at hand.

During grief, this response is often triggered repeatedly, especially in the early stages. It's our body's attempt to grapple with the emotional turmoil, but it comes at a cost. The heightened state of alertness, the constant state of readiness, can lead to physical strain.

For me, it was most noticeable in my lower back, a region known to bear the weight of emotional stress. The tension in my muscles was palpable, a reflection of the emotional burden I carried. The interrupted sleep patterns further exacerbated this. The body's natural reparative processes that occur during rest were compromised, leaving me physically depleted.

Furthermore, this prolonged state of heightened stress can significantly weaken the immune system. Cortisol, a primary stress hormone, suppresses immune responses. In grief, where stress levels can remain consistently elevated, our body's ability to defend against illnesses becomes compromised.

It's important to recognize that these physical manifestations of grief are not a sign of weakness or failure. They are signals from our body, communicating the depth of our emotional pain. Acknowledging and addressing them is an essential aspect of the grieving process.

I realized it before it became too late, to overcome these physical symptoms and practice self-care,  I started regularly practising Yoga and Mindfulness breathing to heal the Heart chakra which is the most affected and requires healing.

As we conclude this episode, I'd like to emphasise the importance of self-care and to all my dear listeners extend an invitation to our upcoming webinar, "6 Vital Elements of Grief." We'll delve into various aspects of the grieving journey, offering insights and strategies to help you navigate this intricate terrain. Your physical well-being is a crucial part of this journey, and we'll explore it in greater detail during the webinar.

Thank you for joining us on "Grief Untangled." Remember, you're not alone, and there is support and understanding available. Until next time, take care.