Where Grief Lives in the Body

Grief is not only an emotional experience—it is a whole-body event. Research shows that bereavement can dysregulate the nervous, immune, and cardiovascular systems, increasing risks for chest pain, illness, and even heart disease. Mentally and emotionally, grief often brings anxiety, depression, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating as the body remains in a prolonged stress response.

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, grief resides in the lungs, affecting breath, immunity, and the ability to “let go.” Which may be why I got an upper respiratory illness upon my return from vacation. Prolonged grief weakens lung qi, leading to fatigue, shallow breathing, and withdrawal . Bodywork support may include deep work to free the muscles surrounding the chest and ribcage, and acupressure on points such as Lung 1 (chest), Lung 7 (wrist), and Heart 7 (inner wrist) to open the chest, regulate emotion, and restore balance. As well as, Chi Nei Tsang affirmations. 

Grief is something we all experience multiple times throughout our life. Touch-based therapies offer a gentle pathway through this. An overview of studies examining bereavement massage found that while massage does not “fix” grief, clients consistently reported reduced anxiety, depression, and physical tension after sessions. Similarly, research on acupressure shows it can lower stress hormones, reduce pain and fatigue, and improve emotional well-being by influencing the nervous system and brain chemistry.