TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF WHILE GRIEVING

Physical Care

1. Nutrition

• Include the foods you need. Eat a balanced nutritious diet. Avoid junk foods/empty calories.
• Drink plenty fluids: water and juices---8 glasses a day for hydration and eliminating wastes.
• Avoid alcohol & caffeine, They can cause dehydration, headaches, low-back pain. Alcohol steals vitamins, decreases circulation, can cause heart fluttering and as a depressant increases sadness.

2. Exercise

• Clears the mind, improves concentration.
• Gives a feeling of accomplishment and control over your body.
• Releases chemicals to promote a feeling of well-being.
• Increases energy and enhances body's ability to fight disease.
• Strengthens heart muscle and improves flexibility.
• Helps control weight, improves muscle tone and appearance to enhance self image.
• Allows muscles to relax afterwards to promote better sleep at night.
• Reorganizes and redirects static energy to help you feel more calm.
• Exercise out of doors if possible at the same time each day.

3. Sleep and Rest

• Before bed-time avoid: caffeine & heavy foods; major mental or physical tasks.
• Avoid violent TV programs late at night.
• Avoid over-use of habit-forming tranquilizers & barbiturates.
• Relax in a bubble bath.
• Read an up-beat book in bed.
• Encourage your mind to let go of your day. Be in the moment & absorb the peace.
• Listen to a meditation, relaxation or guided imagery tape,
• Practice relaxation by tensing/releasing muscles from toes upward to top of your head.

Mental Care

• Affirm to yourself that you're OK - hurting, but OK: Loss is the problem--not you!
• Keep a notebook to 'off-load" thoughts weighing on you.
• Put things--like keys and paperwork-in same place all the time so you can find them.
• Make lists to keep track of "to do's."
• Lower your expectations about how much you can do and how soon.
• Expect you will not concentrate, make decisions, remember things as well as usual.

Emotional Care

• Write e-mails, letters, poetry or record feelings on tape.
• Talk with others about how you feel to release bottled-up feelings and tension.
• Read books, articles, and poetry written by others who know loss to stop feeling you're alone.
• Phone a compassionate, supportive, cheerful friend.

Spiritual Care

• Admit when you need help & accept help. You need to do this yourself, but not alone.
• Share your spiritual questions and concerns with another who will understand and accept you.
• Draw on the strength you will receive from meditating on promises from your scriptures (e.g. Psalms).

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Adapted from Maureen Kramlinger, VITAS Innovative Hospice Care
5151 Adanson Street, #200 Orlando, FL 32804 407-691-4549

Download a printable version of this document here.

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