In HOPE Connection support groups it’s almost a given that someone will talk about being heartbroken because it’s such an accurate description following the death of your spouse or partner. Most people, of course, would say that it’s a metaphorical term — your heart is not literally broken.
In reality, broken heart is a lot closer to literally true than you might imagine. In a fascinating TED talk cardiologist and author Dr. Sandeep Jauhar explores the mysterious ways our emotions affect the health of our hearts. Dr. Jauhar says, “There is a heart disorder first recognized about two decades ago called takotsubo cardiomyopathy, or ‘the broken heart syndrome,’ in which the heart acutely weakens in response to intense stress or grief, such as after a romantic breakup or the death of a loved one.”
Watch this TED talk for a full discussion of the ways emotions and grief literally transform your heart. And, with an optimistic conclusion, listen to Dr. Jauhar’s recommendations for ways to improve your heart health even as you grieve and heal.