Grief is a universal emotion. All will experience its emotional pull at some point in their lives, sometimes to our dismay, multiple times. Despite having extensive experience and training in this realm, it is still challenging. The first time I listened to this podcast, I found it compelling and informative. Now, since I am currently in the process of grieving, I decided a re-listen was appropriate—yet another gem from the Huberman Lab. If you are currently grieving, knowing that you are not alone is essential. I encourage you to seek help from friends, family, or medical professionals. While not a substitute for listening to the podcast, below are some of my takeaways.
TLDR:
- Elisabeth Kubler-Ross- Defined the Five stages of dying in her 1969 book ” On Death and Dying”: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. It is important to note that they do not occur in any particular sequence. It is perfectly normal to experience them in any combination of order, intensity, and duration. Other models have been proposed. You can find them here.
- The relationships we form with people, animals, and things are mapped in our brains within a three-dimensional pattern; Space, Time, and Closeness. When experiencing loss, the intensity of symptoms is related to these categories, i.e., the closer the bond, proximity, and time since the last interaction may be associated with increased grief. The unique brain region activated by all three is called the inferior parietal lobule.
- Catecholamines include epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine. One study showed that individuals with higher baseline norepinephrine experienced more complicated grief symptoms—achievable treatment goals, including stress management and anxiety reduction before experiencing loss.
- One study showed individuals with higher vagal tone (activation) could access “a break” in their sympathetic system, allowing them to move faster through the stages of grieving. A potential treatment would be influencing vagal tone with breathing exercises to modulate the emotional state.
- It is known that adequate sleep influences various physiologic, mental, and hormonal processes. It is no surprise that it also has beneficial effects on grieving.
Hope You Learned Something .