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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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The Grieving Body summary
Mary-Frances O'Connor
How the Stress of Loss Can Be an Opportunity for Healing
23 mins
Brief summary
The Grieving Body delves into the profound connection between mental states and physical health during bereavement, offering insights into how grief manifests in our bodies and providing guidance for healing and resilience through challenging times.
Table of Contents
The Grieving Body
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Key idea 1 of 5
Grieving is physical
When grief enters your life, it arrives as more than just sadness or emotional pain. Grief lives in your body – in your heavy chest, in your churning stomach, in the muscles that ache with exhaustion. This physical experience is real, and yet most resources for those in grief are aimed at the emotional and mental systems, not the body.
Yet research reveals that our bodies respond to loss in predictable ways. For instance, your brain builds a detailed map of your relationship with your loved one – how they sound, smell, move, and how you interact with them. When that person is no longer present, your brain and body work overtime trying to resolve this mismatch between what they expect, and what is now reality.
This explains why you might turn to see someone who isn’t there, or why certain places or objects can trigger intense physical reactions. Your heart may race, your breathing might change, or you could feel a wave of nausea from time to time. These aren’t signs of weakness or a loss of control. They’re signs that your body is working through loss in the way humans have for millennia.
But the physical symptoms don’t stop there. Some people experience fatigue that sleep doesn’t seem to fix, changes in appetite, or tension in their shoulders or jaw. Others experience a host of digestive issues, or a feeling of heaviness in their chest that doesn’t shift. Some notice that their immune system isn’t as strong, meaning they catch every cold that goes around, while others have increasing flare-ups of existing conditions. Some people describe feeling like they’re moving through fog, or that the world looks gray, and food has lost its flavor.
When these physical sensations feel overwhelming, try placing one hand on your heart and one on your stomach. Take slow, gentle breaths, feeling the rise and fall beneath your hands. This simple action helps your nervous system feel safer in the present moment. Even just naming what you’re experiencing can help. Saying what you feel, like “my shoulders are tense” or “my chest feels tight,” can help your brain process what’s happening.
Remember that your body has profound wisdom and is trying to help you navigate this difficult time. By tuning into these physical experiences with gentleness, you begin the process of healing – not by erasing or suppressing grief, but by creating space for your body to carry it more comfortably.
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What is The Grieving Body about?
The Grieving Body (2025) explores how bodies physically process loss, revealing the neurobiological underpinnings of grief and mourning. It advocates for developing compassionate, effective strategies that support the body through grief, recognizing that these physical manifestations are a natural part of adapting to loss.
Who should read The Grieving Body?
- People actively experiencing grief who want to understand their physical symptoms
- Those preparing for an anticipated loss who want to understand what to expect
- Anyone interested in the mind-body connection during emotional challenges
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