Caregivers, family or friends of those dying are most often affected. The grief can be heightened by illness, uncertainty, monetary issues and the burden of caregiving.

Those who have a terminal illness, those who are in a warzone, or those who are of a certain age, can also feel grief for events they won't be around for or lost opportunities they will miss.

Someone who is about to lose a job, get divorced or a scheduled mastectomy may suffer from anticipatory grief, and can result in a fear of a big, uncertain change.

Feelings of anxiety are synonymous with anticipation, therefore feeling anxiety when anticipating grief is very common and natural. Anxiety is often intertwined with worry and can cause strong feelings in the body.

It's common to have a strong sense of dread in this type of situation. Dread comes from thinking negatively about the future, which is perfectly reasonable when the future looks a little sad or bleak.

Guilt is commonly felt during periods of all types of grief. Sometimes we feel like we could do more or we could've been nicer to the person who has died or is dying while they were fully on their feet.

It's hard not to feel overwhelmed in situations like these. It's easy for things to feel like they're getting on top of us when there's such sadness around us and so much to think about.

When someone is dying or something is inevitably reaching the end, there is little we can do but watch on, and therefore it's common to feel a sense of hopelessness or helplessness.

Fear is very much intertwined with anxiety, but whereas anxiety comes from anticipation, fear is associated with a real impending threat, which is common in anticipatory grief.

Give yourself time and space to be alone and with your emotions. It's sometimes hard when the feelings are so strong and overwhelming, but the more time you sit with them the more you'll begin to feel who you really are.

Feeling sorrow and grief doesn't have to be a problem to be solved, it's an essential experience we all go through as human beings. If you need help to be with your emotions, reach out to friends and family when you're struggling. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, there are plenty of helplines that can be an aid.

If your loved one is nearing the end, being as kind and as considerate to your loved one will not only make things easier for them, but it will makes things easier for you too. Try to get an understanding of what they're experiencing, what they're likely to experience and treatments that may help ease their pain.

In times of our own grief, one of the best things we can do for ourselves is be compassionate. Research conducted by Stony Brook University shows that expressing compassion and helping others has a tremendous effect on our own mental and physical well being and will of course aid your loved one's suffering too.

Whether you're considering a hospice for your loved one or you're looking at arrange a funeral, it's worthwhile making arrangements as early as possible.

It's never a nice feeling thinking about your own death, but most of us have plans regarding what will happen to our estate and what will happen at our funeral.

Whether you're planning for yourself or someone else, funeral plans are worth considering as they allow you to cement the funeral arrangements at a less stressful time.