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Mother’s Day is a celebration for most. Yet for those who have lost their moms, it can be a difficult day marked by grief and isolation.

“The first year after any loss can be awful, but the holidays stand out in particular,” noted Rebecca Feinglos, a certified grief support specialist in North Carolina and founder of Grieve Leave, an online community to support grievers.

“Your first Mother’s Day after the death of your mom can make her absence feel even more real. It’s a stark reminder of the permanence of the loss.”

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For those who had a close bond with their mother, Feinglos said the absence can feel like a “gaping hole” in their everyday lives.

“And for those whose relationships with their mothers were less than ideal, Mother’s Day can bring up a whole different set of emotions,” she said. 

“There may be a mix of grief for the relationship they never had, along with anger or resentment over past hurts.”

“The key is to be intentional about how you want to spend the day.”

It doesn’t help that Mother’s Day is a highly publicized holiday with such an emphasis on the mother-child relationship, Feinglos said.

“Everywhere you turn, there are advertisements, social media posts and conversations centered around celebrating mothers,” she said.

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“For those who have recently lost their mom, this constant barrage of Mother’s Day messaging can feel like salt in the wound, regardless of the circumstances of their relationship.”

“For those who have recently lost their mom, [the] constant barrage of Mother’s Day messaging can feel like salt in the wound, regardless of the circumstances of their relationship,” an expert said. (iStock)

For those who are approaching their first Mother’s Day after losing a mom, Feinglos offered five tips for navigating the difficult emotions.

1. Make a plan

“Trust me, you don’t want to wake up on your first motherless Mother’s Day with no idea of how to spend the day,” Feinglos said.

“That’s a recipe for a major grief spiral and for potentially doom-scrolling other people’s ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ posts.”

The expert recommends thinking in advance about what you might want your day to look like — and then planning for it. 

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“It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Maybe it’s watching your mom’s favorite movies on Netflix, ordering her favorite takeout, or going for a hike on a trail you used to walk together,” she said. 

“The key is to be intentional about how you want to spend the day.”

“The first year after any loss can be awful, but the holidays stand out in particular,” a grief expert noted. (iStock)

If you do decide to venture out, Feinglos said, it’s important to be prepared for Mother’s Day-focused events, including restaurant menu specials. 

“If that feels like too much to handle, consider having an at-home dinner plan instead,” she suggested.

2. Reach out to others

Grief can be isolating, Feinglos said, and it’s easy to feel like you’re the only one in the world who has ever felt this way. 

“But when you’re open and willing to ask for help, you might be surprised by how much better you’ll feel just saying that you’re having a tough time,” she said. 

“Your first Mother’s Day after the death of your mom can make her absence feel even more real.”

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If you’re feeling overwhelmed or just need someone to talk to, Feinglos said to take the initiative in reaching out, rather than waiting for someone to contact you.

“Pick up the phone, send a text or even just post on social media about how you’re feeling,” she suggested. 

Those who are grieving should reach out to family and friends for support, an expert advised. (iStock)

“I have a feeling that your community will be ready and willing to offer their support.”

3. Let people support you

Those who are grieving may be afraid that they’re a burden on friends and loved ones, Feinglos noted.

“But here’s the thing: The people who care about you want to be there for you,” she said. 

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“So, when your best friend offers to come over on Mother’s Day and hang out, or your sibling suggests a family Zoom call, say yes. Letting others show up for you can make the day feel a little less overwhelming.”

4. Create a ritual to make space for your grief

One of the most meaningful things you can do on Mother’s Day, according to Feinglos, is to “intentionally create a ritual that makes space for your grief.” 

Journaling or writing a letter to your late mother is one way to process your feelings on Mother’s Day. (iStock)

“That could mean writing your late mother a letter and burning it or casting it into a body of water, visiting a place that was special to both of you, listening to her favorite music — or doing something that reflects her values and passions,” she said.

The idea is to do something intentional that helps you feel connected to your mom, even though she’s not physically there, the expert said. 

“By creating space for your grief, you’re giving yourself permission to feel all the complicated emotions that come with loss.”

“Your relationship with your person can continue even when they’ve died,” Feinglos said. 

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“By creating space for your grief, you’re giving yourself permission to feel all the complicated emotions that come with loss.”

5. Know that there are different shades of grief

Grief doesn’t follow any rules or timelines, Feinglos said — and it can look completely different from one person to the next, especially because every bond is unique.

“There’s no one ‘normal’ way grief plays out,” she said. 

“For some, it might hit like a tsunami of tears, especially on gut-punch days like Mother’s Day.”

It’s important not to suppress or ignore feelings of grief on Mother’s Day, a mental health expert said. (iStock)

“Maybe you vacillate between being present one moment and feeling utterly numb the next, laughing through tears one day and feeling bitter anger the next.”

On a day like Mother’s Day, Feinglos said, you might find that your thoughts loop back to your loved one regularly, or you could tend to avoid anything that could stir up memories.

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Whatever way your grief manifests, Feinglos emphasized the importance of not trying to suppress or ignore it.

“At its core, grief underscores one truth: You’re alive, you’re human, and you’re going through a loss,” an expert said. (iStock)

“When we disregard our grief, it can pop back up in ways that are really inconvenient, or even scary — like lashing out at loved ones, feeling hopeless or [engaging in] risky behaviors,” she told Fox News Digital.

“Give yourself the space and time to relearn what your life is like now with this loss in mind,” she continued.

“At its core, grief underscores one truth: You’re alive, you’re human, and you’re going through a loss.”

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For those who are struggling to get enough sleep, the ABCs may be the key to getting more Zzzs.

A sleep shortcut that’s making the rounds on TikTok uses the alphabet to help people drift off.

Sleep experts shared their input on the unconventional route to restful nights.

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The technique isn’t new, but it’s been circulating on social media in recent weeks. 

Here’s how it works: The wanna-be sleeper chooses a category — whether it’s song titles, vacation destinations or anything that strikes their fancy — and then thinks of something for every letter of the alphabet.

For instance, if the category is colors, A might be Aqua, B could be Blue, C could be Chartreuse, and so on.

The idea is that, over time, the exercise will lull the person to sleep.

There are other variations of the alphabet hack, such as picturing each letter being written and erased to help induce sleep.

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Sleep expert Jeff Kahn, the Chicago-based CEO and co-founder of Rise Science, maker of the sleep and energy tracker app RISE, pointed out that the alphabet method hasn’t been studied, but that it likely works by distracting the person from focusing on the inability to sleep. 

“This is how the larger category of distraction techniques can help with sleep, anxiety and managing pain, among other challenges,” he told Fox News Digital.

“You can’t force sleep — and thinking about falling asleep or about how you can’t fall asleep is a surefire way to delay it.”

If lack of sleep is interfering with your quality of life, experts recommend speaking with a doctor about getting assessed for a sleep disorder or other underlying medical conditions. (iStock)

Dr. Chelsie Rohrscheib, a neuroscientist and sleep specialist at Wesper in New York, noted that many people experience an overactive mind when they’re trying to sleep, which makes it difficult for the brain and body to relax — leading to insomnia and poor sleep quality.

“The alphabet hack forces you to stop focusing on stimulating or stressful thoughts, which calms your brain activity and helps the brain enter the first sleep stage,” she told Fox News Digital.

Alternative sleep hacks

If the alphabet method doesn’t work, there are other creative techniques that could help you fall asleep.

“Alternatives include meditation and deep breathing exercises, which focus on not only quieting the mind, but also slowing your heart rate and breathing, which make it easier to enter sleep,” Rohr said.

“You can’t force sleep — and thinking about falling asleep is a surefire way to delay it.”

If none of these techniques are effective, he recommends getting out of bed and going to another quiet, dim area to do a relaxing activity, like reading or listening to music, until you feel sleepy.

Kahn agreed with that advice.

“You can’t force sleep — and thinking about falling asleep or about how you can’t fall asleep is a surefire way to delay it,” an expert said. (iStock)

“A good rule of thumb is, if you can’t fall asleep within 20 to 30 minutes, abandon the pursuit, leave your bed, and do things that are relaxing and distracting, in low or as little light as possible,” he advised. 

“Let sleepiness wash over you, which it will, and then head back to bed. Sleep doctors call this a ‘sleep reset.’”

Another technique that works for a lot of people is progressive muscle tension and relaxation, both experts said.

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“A warm shower immediately before bed also helps to drop your core body temperature quickly once you get out, which stimulates the brain to feel sleepy,” Rohr added.

Optimizing sleep hygiene

“Decades of sleep science research shows that having excellent sleep hygiene is your best bet to regularly fall sleep, stay asleep, and to feel and function your best while awake,” Kahn told Fox News Digital.

Optimizing your sleep hygiene is the best way to “regularly fall sleep, stay asleep, and to feel and function your best while awake,” a sleep doctor warned. (iStock)

Common best practices include keeping a very regular sleep schedule, cutting off caffeine 12 hours before bedtime, avoiding late meals and alcohol, getting sunlight every morning — and keeping your bedroom as cool, dark and quiet as possible.

When to seek help

If you’ve tried everything — including optimizing your sleep environment and routine — and lack of sleep is still interfering with your quality of life, experts recommend speaking with a doctor about getting assessed for a sleep disorder or other underlying medical conditions.

“Because anxiety about sleep can precipitate more sleeplessness and sleeplessness feeds anxiety, I recommend seeking help sooner rather than later,” Kahn said.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.