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Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, CDCES, MBA
By Kells McPhillips
You may think of grief as something that you can only navigate with mental practices. While it’s true that meditation, therapy, and other cerebral activities can help you navigate a loss, movement therapy may be able to help you grieve as well.
“People have historically thought of grief as an emotional experience that brings with it the five stages of grief, as outlined by Elizabeth Kubler Ross,” explains Gina Moffa, LCSW, a grief and trauma therapist in New York City. “As modern grief theory has evolved, we see that grief is a full-body experience that needs to be looked at as both an emotional and physiological response to loss.”
Research suggests that when a loved one leaves us, we have a physical reaction in tandem with our mental reaction. “Grief has been known to increase inflammation in our body, which can exacerbate already-present health problems,” says Moffa. “Our nervous system sends signals to the other 11 systems in our body that we are in a state of stress, which can weaken our body's immune response.”
Exercise and movement may be one way to mitigate the stress that comes along with grief. Research shows that physical activity may lead to better grief outcomes for those who are grieving, potentially softening feelings of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. “[It may also create] a sense of freedom, enable the expression of emotions, and provide a distraction,” says Moffa.
Below, Moffa and life transition therapist Jen Reisinger share their best grief therapy activities and tips for leveraging movement in your grief process.
You don’t have to run a marathon or start powerlifting to reap the benefits of movement. When it comes to grief exercises, Moffa recommends low-impact, gentle activities such as yoga, stretching, walking, swimming, and hiking. Low-impact exercises may also improve balance and increase muscle strength.
Grief can feel deeply isolating. Remind yourself that you’re not alone by inviting a friend or family member on your walk or light jog. “We can be met with well-meaning but unhelpful platitudes as we move through our grief experience, which adds to our discomfort. Notice who helps you to feel seen in your grief experience and who you can share with authentically. This might be a friend, family member, or a therapist,” says Reisinger.
Some therapists even offer walk-and-talk therapy. If you’re interested, see if your practitioner is open to taking your conversations outside to get a dose of the outdoors, exercise, and great dialogue in one go.
As you’re scheduling gentle exercise into your daily routine, make sure to tune into your body. Ask yourself, What does this movement bring up? How do I feel right now? Does this exercise feel safe and beneficial?
“When it comes to movement after a significant loss, knowing your body and its tolerance level for different types of movement will be key, as safety in movement is a top priority,” says Moffa. “We don't want to push ourselves past our physical limits, which can result in an injury or strains (which, in turn, can add to the burden of the loss). Safety and mindfulness is key when determining the right kind of movement to help support you in your grief.”
Like all tools in your grief toolkit, it’s important to remember that physical fitness works best alongside other techniques. For example, you may find that some combination of therapy, meditation, walking, friendship, and creative outlets (like painting or writing) truly help you process this new phase of life. And if fitness doesn’t offer respite, don’t force it. Remember to do what feels right for you.
Calm Health is not intended to diagnose or treat depression, anxiety, or any other mental or physical health condition. The use of Calm Health is not a substitute for care by a physician or other health care provider. Any questions that you may have regarding the diagnosis, care, or treatment of a health condition should be directed to your physician or health care provider. Calm Health is a mental wellness product.
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