I think different people grieve differently, so I suspect that a lot of advice that works for some, won't work for others. When my last grandparent died, I completely lost my appetite, and sort of joked that I was on the grief diet. Joking aside, I knew from being depressed half my life that I had to make myself eat regularly (and relatively healthy) or it would just lead to lack of energy, and an ensuing downward spiral. Of course, others see an increase in appetite, so that tells you how different people's reactions can be.
Other things I can think of:
- Make sure to get some good sunlight, ideally outdoors, but August isn't the best month for that.
- Get some exercise, or do some yoga, even some stretching. Gives you something to focus on, releases endorphins, etc.
- Lean on your dog some. Dogs are pretty empathetic and their mood reflects our mood. Think of it as your job to cheer up your dog, if that helps motivate you.
- If you can't be with friends and family physically, keep in touch in another way. Skype would be great, but even a phone call. In particular, lean on friends and family who aren't necessarily directly involved (that is, not your mother, etc.), since they're not processing grief of their own. Plus, they'll be better able to tell if you're behavior is changing in a way that might be of concern.
- Really try not to give into or worsen bad habits, especially the ones that can affect you mentally and/or physically like drinking, smoking, using, over- or under-eating, etc.
- Do allow yourself time to grieve rather than trying to occupy every moment with something to distract yourself. Grieving is natural and important for your mental health. For most people this isn't an issue, but it's worth mentioning.
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