Why Grief Changes Appetite

Grief doesn’t just move through the heart. It moves through the gut, the breath, the appetite, and the entire digestive system. This is why you might suddenly feel no hunger at all, crave comfort foods, lose interest in meals you usually love, or feel your stomach tighten after only a few bites.

The body’s relationship with food shifts because grief changes your physiology.

When the emotional system is overwhelmed, the nervous system enters a state where digestion becomes less of a priority. The gut slows. The stomach tightens. Hunger cues become faint or disappear entirely. The body redirects its energy toward coping, conserving, and staying oriented during emotional impact.

People often notice:

• forgetting to eat

• eating much less

• eating much more

• craving soft or simple foods

• sensitivity to strong flavours

• nausea during sadness

• heaviness after meals

• emotional eating or avoiding food altogether

These changes aren’t random.

The gut and the emotional body are deeply linked.

The vagus nerve connects your stomach directly to your heart and lungs. When grief pulls your system inward, digestion follows.

Loss of appetite is common because the body is in a protective state.Increased appetite is common because the body looks for grounding and comfort.

Cravings for simple foods often reflect a need for softness and stability.

Your body adapts to your emotional landscape in real time.

You don’t need to force eating, and you don’t need to restrict comfort foods. W

hat helps most is gentle awareness. Small meals. Warm foods. Easy textures. Slow eating when you can. Letting appetite return as your system settles.

Grief changes appetite because the body is reorganising itself around what feels safe. Eventually, as the emotional load becomes more manageable, your natural rhythms begin to return.

If you know someone who may benefit from breathwork for grief, or if you’d like support reconnecting with your body during emotional change, you’re welcome to explore my grief-tending breathwork sessions. They offer a grounded, gentle way for the system to soften and re-regulate.

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