Sadness is a complicated thing because it doesn’t just affect your heart, but also your body. Whether your grief is caused by loss or heartbreak, here are nine common effects of heartache that won’t go unnoticed.
You may experience “Broken Heart Syndrome”
This most likely follows the loss of a loved one, and it refers to the risk of poor heart health. Studies show that you’re more likely to have a heart attack due to extreme sadness, but these chances do become lower with time.
You can literally become sick with grief
Loss can weaken the immune systems of older people, making them more prone to infections. This is not to say that you’ll absolutely become sick after the death of someone close, but pay close attention to your body.
Extreme fatigue
Whether you’ve experienced a bad breakup or a death in your life, your sadness may prevent you from leading an active life. You could find yourself constantly fatigued, similar to those who experience depression.
Lack of sleep
If you’re not experiencing fatigue, you might actually fall victim to its opposite. Any feelings of sadness or grief can keep you up at night usually because it’s almost impossible to calm yourself down enough to fall asleep.
Loss of appetite
One very common side effect of grief, not only due to loss but also due to breakups or a termination of a strong friendship, is losing the desire to eat. You may instead feel nausea due to extreme sadness or anxiety.
Paranoia caused by guilt
In the case of a fresh breakup, you’ll probably analyze hundreds of possibilities that help you understand why. You’ll also probably convince yourself that you’re to blame, causing you to feel paranoid about your actions throughout the relationship.
Extreme anger
Loss of any kind can cause you to become furious at the universe for taking your loved one away, your ex for breaking your heart, or yourself for not being able to prevent the situation from happening.
Your stress levels increase
Similar to feeling paranoid or angry, extreme sadness can make you seriously stress over the future or your own wellbeing. You may fear future heartache or even experiencing the same fate as someone close to you who passed away.
You become tougher against heartbreak
Even amidst all the negative effects of loss, you might actually come to terms with it in a way that strengthens you for the future. Your grief will prepare you for future sadness in ways that you never thought possible.
Sources:
https://www.bustle.com/articles/125917-5-things-that-happen-to-your-body-when-you-lose-someone-close-to-you
http://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/a6487250/cosmo-happy-hour-life-after-loss-grief/
https://thoughtcatalog.com/jessica-rose/2014/07/10-bittersweet-things-you-learn-when-you-lose-someone-you-love/
