For some, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, but for others, it is a painful reminder of the loss of a loved one. Researchers have confirmed that bereavement and grief can accelerate biological ageing increasing the risk of future health issues.

 

A broken heart at Christmas time or anytime can have a negative affect on the body.

Christmas is a time of overindulgence, expanding waistlines and shrinking bank accounts. Those Christmas stressors can be relieved with a new healthy lifestyle regime and the ability to start saving money again in the New Year.

However, the grief, sorrow and stress from living through Christmas after the loss of a loved one or pet is hard to come to terms with because there’s nothing you can do to bring that special person back or your cat that has sat on your knee for years showing you undying love. Christmas is not the only painful date in the diary when you remember the memories you have made with someone special in your life or a pet – it can be painful every day, and a broken heart is hard to heal.

 

The two pathways of loss.

A person can experience two pathways of loss – first, deficits in material and social resources. A grieving person without a partner could struggle to pay the bills. They could lose their home or not be able to afford activities that are essential for their physical and mental health.

Second, the physiological distress of bereavement can take a toll on the body and increase a person’s biological age. Biological ageing is the integrity and capacity of cells, tissues, and organs in the body. A person can be 25 years old but have a biological age of 45, this could be due to an unhealthy lifestyle, illness or stress.

 

Scientists have spent years researching the physiological effects of the grief of losing a loved one.

A Cohort study was published in the Jama Network in March 2024. 3963 people had their blood DNA tested. 40% had lost a loved one in adulthood. Those people who had experienced bereavement had a significantly higher biological age.

Allison Aiello, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University said, “Our research reveals a significant association between experiencing losses from childhood through adulthood and biological signs of ageing.” She added, “These insights could inform clinical and public health approaches improving health outcomes following loss.”

Read the full study here. 

 

Loss changes your world as you know it.

When you lose someone you love or a pet, your world changes. The loss can cause physical and emotional pain and overwhelming feelings of grief, heartbreak, sadness, loneliness and fear. Loss can be shocking and create a sense of guilt, numbness or anger. It can lead to sleepless nights, problems concentrating, difficulty in making decisions and little interest in food. Negative emotions can cloud judgment and leave you questioning the purpose of life. The trauma can cause mental health issues, cognitive impairment, increased cardiometabolic and dementia risk, and higher mortality in later life. Loss can make you feel and look older than your years.

 

Good and bad days and light at the end of the tunnel. 

There are no grieving rules, accepting loss is difficult, and there will be good and bad days. There’s no right or wrong way to mourn and grief shouldn’t be ignored, if so, it can become unhealthy making it difficult to live everyday life.

If you reach out to people, talk through your pain and find the coping mechanisms that work for you, eventually, you will see light at the end of the tunnel. You will be able to share memories of that special person or pet and learn to laugh again without feeling guilty.

 

Loss and coping mechanisms.

Taking care of yourself is the most important thing when you lose someone or something you love. It might be challenging at times because others around you could be dealing with the loss too – children, parents, siblings or others dear to you.

You should deal with grief at a comfortable pace and don’t feel pressured by others to speed up the healing process – it takes time.

 

Here is our list of helpful suggestions if you are struggling with loss.

• Be organised, create a plan or schedule for your day
• Communicate, talk to people and ask for advice
• Seek help with funeral, financial and legal issues if needed
• Deal with anything that needs changing in your home if you have shared it with a loved one. Ask someone to help you sort through the belongings of the person or pet that you have lost
• Ask your doctor or health provider for different options for grief counselling and community resources. Find out what services are free, there is plenty of help available
• Discuss with your doctor any health concerns you have or monitor conditions that may be affected by the trauma of loss such as epilepsy. Loss may trigger a seizure. Or if your depression from the loss has become an issue, you must tell someone especially if you are having suicidal thoughts
• If you need to talk to someone outside of your circle, apart from your health care providers, speak to a therapist or life coach. They will be able to teach you coping strategies
• Talk to others who have experienced loss, attend support groups or join an online group or forum
• You may need to move out of your house or downsize, think about your new accommodation and location and try to stay close to your support network
• Have time off work if you feel you need it. You may struggle to concentrate at such an upsetting time in your life. Find out your employment rights here Insert link: https://www.gov.uk/time-off-for-dependants
• Try different relaxation techniques such as hypnotherapy, meditation, and yoga or go on a retreat. Listening to music can be very therapeutic too
• Make some lifestyle changes – give up smoking and avoid recreational drugs or drinking too much alcohol or junk food
• Keep active, exercise and enjoy the outside going for walks or jogging
• If you need a break from your surroundings because it’s all too much it might be a nice idea to take a holiday – on your own or with friends and family
• Having a pet can be comforting. Make sure you research what breed of animal would be best for you and your circumstances. There are lots of animals that need rehoming, reach out to animal rescue centres
• Write down how you feel. You could keep a diary of your feelings and monitor your moods or you could try creative writing
• Socialise more when you are ready, people will want to be there for you
• Try voluntary work, it would be rewarding and keep you busy
• Open yourself up to a different kind of life, organise to do something or go somewhere. Find something to look forward to
• Have fun again and try not to feel guilty
• Talk about the person or pet and remember the wonderful experiences you had with them
• Have enough sleep and create a calm sleeping environment
• Stay hydrated drink plenty of water
• Eat a healthy diet and create meal plans
• Take natural supplements for an extra boost

 

We recommend our product NADH (ReConnect). It helps with chronic fatigue, stress, sleep and memory loss. NADH improves your learning ability, concentration and the ability to think clearly.

 

Grief is the price we pay for love, but it is better to have loved and lost than never to love at all. It is important to take care of your health when you experience loss.

 

 

References

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821615?utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=072924

https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/jul/29/bereavement-in-early-life-may-accelerate-ageing-research-shows#:~:text=Among%203%2C963%20people%20studied%2C%20nearly,lost%20people%20close%20to%20them.

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/grief-and-mourning/coping-grief-and-loss