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How Grief Changes Your Body: Understanding Emotional Loss Through Physical Signals

January 14, 2026

Grief is often described as an emotional experience — sadness, shock, longing, or numbness. But for many people in Bellevue and across Washington state, grief is felt first in the body, long before the mind can make sense of what has happened.

Whether you’re processing a recent loss, an old grief resurfacing, or a transition that changed your sense of stability, it’s common to notice physical shifts that seem unrelated at first. Understanding these signals can help you navigate loss with more clarity and self-compassion.

Grief activates the nervous system before the mind understands what you’re feeling

Loss is overwhelming to the body. Even when someone is “holding it together,” the nervous system begins signaling distress, protection, or emotional