The Physical Pain of Grief: Why Losing a Parent Can Hurt Your Body

Yes, grief can hurt your body. After a parent dies, it's common to feel exhausted, sleep badly, lose your appetite, get headaches or stomach trouble, and feel a heavy tightness in your chest, because loss is a major stressor that floods the body with stress hormones. Most of these ease with time and care, but new or severe chest pain, trouble breathing or fainting always needs emergency care right away.