Why grief hurts: how loss shows up in your body (and how to move through it)

Have you ever wondered why grief hurts? Like, physically hurts? Why your chest aches, why you can't sleep, why you keep getting sick, why food suddenly feels impossible? In this episode, I'm breaking down the very real, very science-backed ways that grief shows up in our bodies, and why it happens. I've been reading Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor's book The Grieving Body, and it gave me so many "oh, THAT'S why" moments that I knew I had to bring it here. She's a neuroscientist and psychologist who has spent decades studying what grief actually does to us physically, and the research is both fascinating and deeply validating. Here's what we cover: ✨ Why grief is not just an emotional experience ✨ The role of attachment theory and how our loved ones were actually regulating our nervous systems while they were alive ✨ The difference between heartache and heartbreak ✨ How cortisol and stress hormones stay elevated long after a loss ✨ Why sleep becomes such a difficulty during grief ✨ How grief suppresses your immune system ✨ The gut-brain connection and how grief shows up at the dinner table ✨ Crying, including why it happens, what it does for our brains, and why I am a huge proponent of letting it out ✨ Five gentle, doable ways to support your body while it's grieving 👇 Tell me in the comments: what's one physical symptom of grief that caught you completely off guard? ______ 00:00 Welcome to The Grieving Body 00:37 Why Grief Hurts Physically 01:36 The Grieving Body Science 03:45 Attachment and Nervous System 08:36 Common Physical Symptoms of Grief Overview 09:08 Heartache vs Heartbreak 14:33 Stress Hormones of Grief and Inflammation 17:31 Sleep Disruption in Grief Explained 20:57 Immune System Under Stress in Grief 23:08 The Gut-Brain Axis 28:45 Crying and Attachment 35:00 Gentle Body Support Tips ______ 📖 The Grieving Body by Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor → https://www.amazon.com/dp/0063338904 📖 The Grieving Brain by Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor → https://www.amazon.com/Grieving-Brain... 🎙️ Episode 213: Grief Brain / Brain Fog → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 📖 Life Beyond Grief Substack: https://taraaccardo.substack.com/ ☕️ Support the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/lifewithgrie... 💛 Work with me: https://lossesbecomegains.com/work-wi... Connect with me: 🎙️ Leave a voice note through Speakpipe! https://www.speakpipe.com/LifeWithGrief 🫶🏼 Instagram:   / lossesbecomegains   🫶🏼 Instagram:   / lifewithgriefpodcast   💻 Website: https://lossesbecomegains.com/ 📖 Shop the LBG Daily Journal: https://lossesbecomegains.com/journal By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that the entire contents are the property of Tara Accardo, or used by Tara Accardo with permission. Except as otherwise provided herein, users of this Podcast may save and use information contained in the Podcast only for personal or other non-commercial, educational purposes. No other use, including—without limitation—reproduction, retransmission or editing of this Podcast may be made without the prior written permission of Tara Accardo, which may be requested by contacting [email protected]. This podcast is for educational purposes only. This podcast is not intended to be a substitute for any necessary therapy or counseling to address deeper, past-focused traumas. We don’t attempt to give answers, fix, diagnose, or treat grief. The host claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the information presented herein. #grief #griefpodcast #grievingbody #brokenheartsyndrome #thegrievingbody #griefsupport #griefcoach #lifewithgriefpodcast #grieving #bereavement #griefeducation #griefealing #mentalhealth #griefcommunity #griefawareness #griefjourney