Physical symptoms of grief
Grief is a natural reaction to the death of someone important to you. It's common for grief to cause physical symptoms. But you may find it frightening if you do not know why you're having these symptoms. And you might be worried that you have an undiagnosed health problem, or that grief is making you ill.
Tina, Dan, Tasneem and Ella share their experiences of grief. They talk about feelings of shock, anger, anxiety and loneliness. You might find that there are some things you can relate to. But you might find that your experience is different – and that’s OK too.
Common physical symptoms of grief
These are some of the physical symptoms of grief that you may experience:
- a hollow feeling in your stomach
- tightness, or heaviness, in your chest or throat
- oversensitivity to noise
- difficulty breathing
- feeling very tired and weak
- a lack of energy
- dry mouth
- an increase or decrease in appetite
- finding it hard to sleep or fear of sleeping
- aches and pains.
I had a really tight feeling in my stomach all the time really, like a panic.
Some people find they have symptoms that are like the ones that the person who died had. These can be connected to your grief, but they could be caused by something else.
If you are worried about any physical symptoms, it is important to have them checked by your GP in case there is an underlying medical problem.
Does grief make you tired?
It is very common to feel tired, or exhausted, when you are grieving. There are many reasons why you may feel tired, especially if you were caring for the person who died. Strong emotions along with all the practical things you may have needed to do after they died, can also leave you feeling exhausted. If you are finding it difficult to sleep, then this will naturally mean that you feel more tired also.
Read more about sleep and rest when you are grieving.
Grief and anxiety
It is normal that some people feel anxious or worried after experiencing the death of someone important to them.
So anxiety is the biggest one now. It's heavy. It's very, very heavy... And even though you know that it's in your mind and it's kind of everywhere, it still sits very heavy in the chest.
Anxiety can feel different for everyone, but it may be the reason you're experiencing physical symptoms like a tightness or heaviness in your chest, or breathlessness. It may also affect your mental health and how you behave.
CRUSE has advice on techniques for dealing with anxiety that may be caused by grief.
If you are having some symptoms of anxiety after a bereavement, you may find it helpful to read about how you can look after yourself when you are grieving.
Getting support for physical symptoms of grief and anxiety
It's important to speak to your GP or another healthcare professional about any symptoms you're worried about − especially if you're feeling anxious about your health.
You may want to tell them that you think your symptoms could be connected to your grief. This can help them to understand what you're experiencing and work out the best way to support you.
However, it's important for them to check first for any underlying problems. This is because people who are grieving can be more likely to catch infections or develop health problems, because stress makes your body more vulnerable.
But whether your symptoms are caused by a physical problem, grief, or anxiety connected to grief − they are still real. It's important to get support from a healthcare professional.
How else might you feel?
When you're grieving, you will experience all sorts of emotions at different times.
Many people will feel sadness, but you may feel other things like anger − or you might feel numb or shocked. Read more about how you may feel when you are grieving.
Getting support
You do not have to go through the grieving process alone. There are lots of ways to get support, whether you prefer to talk to someone in person or join an online community.
If you would like to speak to someone about your feelings, contact the free Marie Curie Support Line on 0800 090 2309*. We also have trained bereavement support volunteers who can offer up to six sessions of support in the form of a weekly phone call. You can read more about our Bereavement Support Service or contact the Marie Curie Support Line, if you think this might be helpful.
Useful websites
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About this information
This information is not intended to replace any advice from health or social care professionals. We suggest that you consult with a qualified professional about your individual circumstances. Read more about how our information is created and how it's used.
