Grief's effect on calorie burning and weight varies; while intense emotional stress and crying burn minimal calories, the hormonal shifts (like increased cortisol) and disrupted routines often lead to weight gain (due to comfort eating/cortisol promoting fat storage) or weight loss (due to loss of appetite/forgetting to eat), rather than a significant increase in metabolic burn. Your body's reaction depends on individual stress response, but changes in metabolism, appetite, and cortisol levels significantly impact weight during grief, often disrupting normal energy balance.
Nonetheless, there are common physical and emotional symptoms that often accompany grief, including changes in weight and eating habits. Weight gain can result from reduced physical activity, eating out more, overeating or eating mindlessly, or neglecting self-care.
This sort of response to emotional trauma isn't at all surprising to her; the tendency to reach for comfort food is attributed to our brain chemistry. Where it becomes an issue is if the pattern of reaching for food continues past the grieving period. ``Grief is very natural and temporary,'' Rogers says.
Signs and symptoms of complicated grief may include:
Prolonged grief can be debilitating for some and is associated with more serious health consequences, such as increased risk for cancer and early mortality. Inflammation can also lead to several physical symptoms across the body following bereavement, including pain and changes in the gut microbiome.
Grieving requires immense mental and emotional effort. The constant processing of memories, emotions, and the reality of loss can lead to mental fatigue. Additionally, grief can disrupt sleep patterns, causing insomnia or restless nights. This lack of restorative sleep contributes to physical exhaustion.
During grief, the HPA axis can become overactive, leading to the prolonged release of stress hormones such as cortisol. Cortisol: Often referred to as the “stress hormone,” cortisol helps the body respond to stressful situations.
If you're wondering, “How long does grief exhaustion last?” you're not alone. Many people feel drained, foggy, and worn out for weeks or even months after a loss. This kind of exhaustion isn't a sign of weakness or something to rush through—it's part of the healing process.
When grieving, don't suppress emotions, isolate yourself, rush the process, or use substances to numb pain; instead, allow yourself to feel, stay connected with supportive people, and seek professional help if needed, as grief has no timeline and everyone experiences it uniquely. Avoid platitudes like "everything happens for a reason" or "they're in a better place," and don't make major decisions too soon. Focus on self-care, even if it's basic, and accept that grief is messy, not linear.
Understanding Grief Trauma and Its Impact on the Body
Trauma can get stored deep in your muscles, in your breath, and even in the way your heart beats. And over time, if that grief isn't released, it can start to affect your body in ways you might not expect.
The following tips may give you some ideas about what to do in your "grief time":
The physical impact of grief
There comes a time when reaching out to others is essential. In fact, there are many benefits to grieving with others rather than alone.
The hardest deaths to grieve often involve a child, a spouse/life partner, or a loss due to suicide or homicide, as these challenge fundamental beliefs about life's order, shatter primary support systems, or add layers of trauma, guilt, and unanswered questions, leading to potentially complicated grief. However, grief is deeply personal, and the "hardest" loss is ultimately the one that feels most significant to the individual.
During your grief journey your body needs more rest than usual. You may also find yourself getting tired more quickly-sometimes even at the start of the day. Sleeping normally after a loss would be unusual.
Participate in mindful movement every day
Taking the time to be active every day can help relieve the physical pain of grief. Mind-body activities (like yoga, tai chi, or qigong) can be particularly helpful in relaxing the body and reversing the effects of stress and anxiety.
The 40-day period holds spiritual and cultural meaning in many traditions, often symbolizing a time of reflection, remembrance, and honoring the soul's journey. Emotions during this time may shift—from initial shock to deeper sorrow or quiet acceptance—as the reality of the loss settles in.
The "3 Cs of Grief" for adults are Choose, Connect, Communicate, a framework to actively manage loss by choosing helpful actions, connecting with supportive people, and communicating needs. For children, the 3 Cs are often Cause, Catch, and Care, addressing their deep-seated fears about what caused the death, if they can "catch" it, and if they are safe and cared for. Both frameworks offer simple, actionable ways to navigate grief's confusion and find healing.
Here are some ideas to keep in mind:
For many, the worst period can come 4-7 months after the event, a time when most people often expect you to be “over” your loss. Understanding the grieving process enables people to gain control over their grief, rather than being controlled, or even destroyed, by it.
Mentally & Emotionally
Ineffective grieving then, occurs when our emotions run wild; making rational thought difficult. These emotions (such as anger, sadness, fear, insecurity, guilt and/or loneliness) can also cause us to can behave very badly, both with ourselves and with others.
Crying is our body's way of getting rid of toxins and our tears act as a release valve for stress, tension, depression and grief.
Grief lives in both the heart and the body. From fatigue to chest pain, digestive issues to weakened immunity, the physical expressions of grief are real and important. They remind us that healing after loss is not only emotional but also physical.
Sadness is associated with increased activity of the right occipital lobe, the left insula, the left thalamus the amygdala and the hippocampus. The hippocampus is strongly linked with memory, and it makes sense that awareness of certain memories is associated with feeling sad.