Self Care During Grief-A Look At Exercise

We're in our self care series, and this post we are going to be exploring what exercise looks like when grieving. Now exercise might be the last thing that you're thinking about….. you've lost someone that you love, you have no energy, most likely you're overwhelmed emotionally, mentally, and physically. That's one of the things grief does, it saps your energy.

What's important to remember is, while we can't change what's happened, we can absolutely start to take steps to reverse the effects of trauma and grief. A powerful way we can do that is through exercise. Exercise is so amazing for restoring balance neurologically and hormonally in your system. One of the main hormones that is released in your body when you experience extreme stress is cortisol. Cortisol is one of the things that is contributing to all the negative effects that you're feeling: fatigue, weight gain, aches and pains in your body. That's all a result of cortisol. What we want to do is help minimize or counteract that effect and exercise is one of the best ways to do that.

A great goal is to get some kind of exercise in each and every day. Ideally 30 to 60 minutes of light exercise. Go outside and go for a walk, just be really intentional to move your body and make sure you're not just laying around all day, either on the couch or in bed. Get up and move your body; it's going to do so much good for you emotionally and physically.

If you're in an environment where the weather is conducive for this, go outside and take a walk. Getting exposure to the sunlight and fresh air in your lungs, and a change of scenery will do wonders for you. Being intentional to notice the nature that's around you and seeing the beauty around you, is going to do amazing things for you and for lowering that cortisol level.

Exercise is also one of the tools to help restore sleep if you’re sleep has been disrupted by grief. Stretching or yoga before bedtime can help to calm your mind and body and get you into a restful state that is ready for sleep, another added bonus!

Consistency is actually more important than what you do, or even how long you do it. If you're doing something consistently every day, then every day you're combating that hormonal mix up and bringing about restoration in your mind and body.

I want to caution those of you who are already exercising and really love exercise. You want to be really careful not to overdo it either. It might be tempting to want to put in a really hard workout to work out some of the emotions that are built up, but actually over exerting yourself is going to add more cortisol to the mix. So be gentle with yourself. Give yourself patience and care and make sure that you're moving your body every day. Don’t tackle anything that is going to be too extreme or too stressful for your body because your body has already undergone significant stress.

Another great idea is to enjoy a walk with a friend. This can be one of the ways that you make sure that you're not isolating completely. Its a great idea to talk to or visit with at least one person a day. So going for a walk with a friend is an excellent idea, and a great way to help bring about change and restoration.

Remember that the choices you make each and every day are all a part of you taking control back from a very uncontrollable situation.

I hope that you take advantage of this opportunity and you make a commitment to yourself. Have someone hold you accountable to get up and move your body every day. That is going to help move you through the grieving process and get back to peace, joy and fullness of life.

Here’s to moving our bodies to move through grief!

Onward in Love,

Kelli