Grief is a condition in which people usually go through at a certain stage in life. It might be the result of losing someone dear to you, going through a major life change, or even being at the end of a relationship.
Yet, one thing that people do not often acknowledge is that grief can drain your energy completely.
So, does grief make you tired? Simply, it is true, but let’s dig deeper and consider why it happens and how to fix it.
Grief affects everyone differently. Michael John Arnold, LMHC, helps patients cope with serious losses at Mental Health Counselor PLLC. Contact us to schedule an appointment if you need support.
What Is Grief?
Grief is our profound emotional reaction to the loss that makes us sad. Usually, it is associated with the death of a close one, but it can arise due to other reasons, like the following:
- The end of a relationship
- Losing a job
- The loss of a way of life
The feeling of grief is specific to all people. No one is “right” in their feelings of sorrow.
Every one of us develops through the phase individually, and it is fine to undergo a broad spectrum of feelings, starting from sadness and anger and finishing with guilt and confusion.
When Is Grief the Worst?
Grieving is especially acute right after a loss that has occurred.
Every person has a different grief schedule, but many of us have to deal with the first several months, which are the most challenging.
Grief can bring shock and disbelief that feel overwhelming. Managing these feelings can exhaust an individual both bodily and psychologically.
Why Does Grief Make You Tired?
Grief makes you tired due to its complicated nature, which drains both emotional and physical energy. Here are a few reasons why grief can cause exhaustion:
- Emotional Overload
Grieving people often feel strong emotions. They may experience sadness, anger, and confusion. These feelings take up much of the energy to handle.
- Sleep Disturbances
Grief often results in difficulty sleeping. For some, it can be because of either a flurry of racing thoughts that pervade their minds or an excessive amount of sleep as a way of numbing the sense of pain. This lack of enough rest can bring about feelings of fatigue.
- Physical Symptoms
Grief is not only mental but physical as well. It causes body fatigue through the tension that you generate. You may get body aches, headaches, or stomach problems, which in turn deplete your energy.
- Coping Mechanisms
When you’re dealing with loss, you may consider activities like stress eating or isolating from social circles. These behaviors can further contribute to grief burnout and make you feel more exhausted.
Can Grief Make You Dizzy?
Grief is commonly connected to dizziness.
The bodily exertion with stress as the underlying factor, for instance, changes in appetite, sleep, or, to put it differently, the emotional distress itself may all lead to dizziness or lightheadedness.
Also, feelings of anxiety, which usually come with grief, can bring about dizziness or the feeling of being off balance.
How Long Does Grief Exhaustion Last?
There is no specific time for grief exhaustion. This can be witnessed over a period of weeks, months, or even more.
It is entirely up to the person and the kind of loss that has occurred. And yet, some people may start to feel more energetic after a few months, whereas others will encounter an energy drain over a longer period.
The basic truth is that everybody goes through the grieving process at their own pace, and there is no general “right” timing for the healing process.
Can You Get Burned Out from Grieving?
Yes, the grief burnout is an actual issue. Just in the same way that physical burnout can happen, this is when emotional stress overshadows the point of exhaustion, and you feel “stuck.”
This emotional exhaustion may bring fatigue, loss of motivation, and the loss of the ability to move forward.
Taking breaks and seeking professional help can prevent or reduce the impact of burnout.
Signs You Need Extra Help with Grief Burnout
If grief and exhaustion feel never-ending, it may be time to seek professional help. Signs include:
- Constant grief and tiredness with no relief
- Inability to function in daily life
- Long-term grief burnout
- Persistent anxiety or depression
Grief therapists can give you the specific guidance that you need to find your way through this difficult journey.
How Long Does Grief Insomnia Last?
One of the symptoms of grief is typically sleep disturbance. Grieving people often struggle with wakefulness. They find it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep.
The emotional overload that they are undergoing is what keeps their mind aroused at night, which in turn prevents them from falling asleep.
As far as the grieving process is concerned no two people share the same kind of experience, yet it is usual for grief-related insomnia to last for several weeks or even months.
Grief and Loss of Appetite
Grief often comes with strong emotions, like loss. Another problem is losing your appetite. This can take away energy and make dealing with grief tougher.
One of the symptoms of grieving is that people either tend to eat more or just lose the appetite to eat. Loss of weight becomes a common result of losing interest in food or the situation of being unable to digest anything that is eaten.
Due to this, there is already a lack of nutrition, which leads to an increase in the emotions of tiredness and weakness.
Grieving Exercises for Adults: Finding Balance
When you’re dealing with grief, you really should find the balance of dealing with the emotional weight of loss in a healthy way.
Grieving exercises for adults will not only help you let go of your emotions but also to be more at peace and manage your tiredness.
Some examples include:
- Journaling: Documenting your emotions can assist you in dealing with grief. This method will bring you some relief.
- Mindfulness: Practicing mindfulness or meditation helps cool your body and mind. It reduces stress and tiredness.
- Artistic expression: You can directly talk about your grief with somebody or indirectly with animals, and also write, paint, or sing to bring value to the world that you have experienced through your feelings.
Finding the activities that work for you is a key part of managing grief and loss in recovery.
When Does Grief Get Easier?
Over time, the intensity of grief tends to diminish, though it may never fully go away.
The waves of grief may come in unexpected moments, but you may find that they are less frequent and less overwhelming as time passes.
The fatigue associated with grief may also lessen as you begin to process your emotions and regain a sense of balance.
Final Thoughts
So, does grief make you tired? The answer is yes. The natural process of grief drains the person not only emotionally but also physically, giving way to loss of energy.
Be gentle with yourself and give support to yourself, as this is the way to life. It is a natural process of dealing with loss by feeling tired and is a normal state of grief.
FAQs
Does grief cause extreme fatigue?
Yes, grief can overwhelm a person suffering from overpowering tiredness, emotional distress, disrupted sleeping time, and physical symptoms.
Why is grief so exhausting?
Grief creates an exhausting emotional state. It typically contains physical signs such as tiredness, headaches, and tummy troubles. The body needs extra energy to handle these emotions, which increases tiredness.
How long does grief brain fog last?
Grief brain fog is a difficulty that can last for one of the weeks after the traumatic event accident happens. Many factors affect healing, including untrained psychological counseling and stress reduction.
