Why Does My Body Feel So Tired?
July 8, 2008 by Anna Farmery
Filed under Grief
Over the last few days I have just wanted to sleep - not great when you are trying to work! When I get home I curl up on the sofa and grab a couple of hours and then look forward to going to bed. There was a time I couldn’t sleep now I cannot get enough sleep.
At first I fought the feeling now I have decided to listen to my body…if it wants to sleep then I am going to give it sleep. I think one thing we need to do is to learn that our body has a wonderful way of talking to us, of telling us when it needs to recover. Yet, I feel guilty at sleeping like a baby, of sleeping when I should
be doing things…
I realise that guilt is such a powerful emotion in the journey through the grief cycle…..guilt at now loving them more, guilt at what I could have done differently, guilt at smiling, now guilt at even sleeping….do you think there comes a time when your body says …”Enough guilt?“
Me, again. It seems like the only time that I get completely away from the “guilt thing” is when I keep myself entirely too busy to have personal thoughts. Otherwise, like many of us who have lost someone special, I dwell on those thoughts. Did he know how much I loved him? Did he think he wouldn’t be missed? I know that we told each other, “I love you”, many times, and at least once or twice each day. But you know how that goes: not delivered with passion, but with whatpasses for affection when you have been together for many years.
But, hey – we ALL need sleep, and I think you are right to listen to your body. Just sleep, girl! As long as you don’t have those “I can’t get out of bed today” moods – aka depression – then just enjoy a little nap or extra hours at night. We all need sleep, and grief is hard on us. Until someone goes through this, they just do not know how hard that is.
Jessica – hello you again! Thank you for saying that it is OK…I think that is one thing I miss most, someone who cares and tells you that things are OK when you feel guilty. I feel a bit brighter today, and have a little more energy. I suppose it is like most things with grief, there are peaks and troughs. I think we underestimate how much our body – and our heart – needs to refuel. One thing you made me think is how hard it is to see the difference between needing sleep and depression?