You may find it difficult to take care of yourself while grieving. Business details to deal with, lack of energy, and lack of desire can present significant challenges to walking positively and deliberately in the early days of grief. Paying attention to the basics of self-care — nutrition, hydration, exercise, rest and social support — is essential.

Here are some tips that may help.

• Take care of the basics: eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly.
• Give yourself permission to experience feelings of grief — sadness, numbness, anger, relief — whatever feelings you have.
• Talk with others about what you are feeling and experiencing.
• Consider writing down your thoughts and feelings in a notebook, journal or computer diary. Reviewing what you have written later can help bring clarity and perspective.
• Be gentle and patient with yourself — the wounds of grief take time to heal.
• Avoid alcohol. Because alcohol is a depressant, it will increase feelings of sadness rather than relieve them.
• Avoid making major decisions if possible. Judgment is often clouded by grief. Delaying life-altering decisions until the pain of grief has abated is usually the best choice.
• Accept help when it is offered and ask for help when it is needed.
• Take care of daily responsibilities rather than allowing them to build up. Washing up after every meal is easier than facing a sink full of dirty dishes.
• Use reminders to keep you on track. Post-it notes, calendars and message boards can compensate for memory problems that are common when grieving.