You can actually die of a broken heart after bereavement, study shows

People with the most intense, longest‑lasting grief were significantly more likely to die within a decade of a loved one’s death, a new study finds.

• So, here’s what happened: researchers in Denmark decided to look into the question, “Can you actually die of a broken heart?”

  • They followed 1,735 adults for ten years, all of whom had recently lost a spouse, parent, or other very close relative.

  • Over time, they measured each person’s grief and placed them into five different categories, ranging from very low grief to chronically high grief.

• The stand‑out result was pretty striking:

  • People in the highest grief category—those whose sadness stayed intense for years—had an 88% higher risk of dying in the following decade compared to those in the lowest grief category.

  • This wasn’t just a short‑term emotional slump. For some, the grief stayed almost unchanged three or more years after the loss.

• Who were these people with long‑lasting grief?

  • They represented about 6% of all participants.

  • They were more likely to have lower education levels.

  • They had more signs of mental health struggles even before the bereavement.

  • They also used mental health services and took antidepressants or sedatives at higher rates than other groups—sometimes years after their loss.

• Researchers believe several things may connect intense grief to higher mortality:

  • Heart problems—grief has been linked to higher rates of heart disease and a condition called takotsubo cardiomyopathy, or “broken‑heart syndrome.”

  • Mental health issues—including depression and suicidal thoughts—can become more severe.

  • Biological stress responses—chronic stress can raise inflammation, weaken the immune system, and disrupt normal hormone patterns, making people more vulnerable to serious illness.

• About broken‑heart syndrome:

  • It’s a temporary weakening of the heart muscle triggered by sudden emotional stress.

  • The symptoms can mimic a heart attack—chest pain, shortness of breath—but the arteries aren’t blocked.

  • It’s more common in post‑menopausal women, but studies show men have higher death rates when they get it—possibly because they face more severe stress triggers and often seek less emotional support.

• Grief’s impact goes beyond the heart:

  • It can make you more likely to develop infections like pneumonia, worsen autoimmune conditions, and even increase cancer risk.

  • Chronic stress hormones, especially cortisol, can slowly wear down the body’s resilience.

• The study also noted:

  • The average participant was in their early 60s, so some risk came from age‑related health problems.

  • Still, even after adjusting for age, high grief remained a strong predictor of death.

  • The high‑grief group was relatively small—107 people—so more research on larger groups is needed to confirm the exact numbers.

• What experts think should happen next:

  • Health professionals should watch for signs of prolonged, intense grief, especially if someone already had mental health challenges before their loss.

  • This could mean regular check‑ins, mental health referrals, or offering stronger social support to reduce isolation.

  • Treating grief as a medical and emotional condition—not just a personal, private matter—could save lives.