For days when you are too tired to cook or eat. The correct way to have a 'no-effort dinner' as affirmed by an occupational therapist

You have used so much energy in the outside world again today, you have truly done a great job.
I am Akito, an occupational therapist.

"I've come home, but I don't have even a millimeter of energy left to cook." "I know I'm hungry, but when I try to eat, I'm so tired that I can't get anything down."

Do you ever feel such intense fatigue or stress regarding meals?

I often hear people complain that "cooking is a hassle," but it is also common to be completely exhausted by the act of eating itself.

Today, from the perspective of an occupational therapist, I will talk about the "correct way to have a no-effort dinner" for days when you have no appetite or are at your limit with cooking.

1. Let go of the assumption that "meals must be fun"

When you watch TV or look at social media, it is presented as the correct and wonderful thing to "gather around the table happily with family" or "savor delicious food with a smile."

However, for HSP individuals, a meal is a time with a massive amount of information, receiving huge sensory stimuli all at once: taste, smell, sight, and touch (mouthfeel).

On top of that, if you are also expected to make conversation like "This is delicious," your brain will reach its capacity.

If you are convinced that you "must eat happily," you will feel guilty for not being able to smile.
But when you are completely exhausted, having a "meal of nothing"—where you just put energy into your body with a blank expression—is perfectly fine.

Give yourself permission to say, "I'm taking a break from enjoying this today. It's just for energy replenishment!" and turn off the TV, and spend time quietly moving your mouth at your own pace.

2. Prioritize "comforting textures" over nutrition

When you think, "I have no appetite due to stress, but I have to eat something..." don't you find yourself thinking, "I need to eat vegetables" or "I need something with a good nutritional balance"?

In occupational therapy, when appetite is low, we prioritize an approach to "oral sensation" (the feeling inside the mouth) over nutrients.

Humans have a mechanism where performing the rhythmic exercise of "chewing" (stimulation to proprioception) secretes "serotonin" (the happiness hormone) in the brain, which calms the autonomic nervous system.
Therefore, when you have no appetite, put nutrition aside for a moment and prioritize "things with a texture that makes you feel relieved when you chew them."

• Crispy, crunchy snack foods

• Chewy gummies or bread

• Crunchy rice crackers

You don't need to blame yourself for "using snacks as a meal replacement."
Please enjoy it proudly, thinking, "Right now, I am doing a proper rehabilitation to regulate my mind by using my oral sensations to release lots of happiness hormones."

3. "Survival food" as a charm for days when you are too tired even to chew

On the other hand, there are days when you're completely out of energy, thinking, 'I'm too tired to even chew' or 'It's a struggle to swallow.'

From a rehabilitation perspective, the act of chewing and swallowing uses the muscles in your face and throat quite a bit, so it actually consumes a surprising amount of physical energy.

For those days when you've reached your limit, I strongly recommend keeping a stock of 'survival food' in your home.

• Jelly drinks (like Weider in Jelly)

• Warm potage soup that just needs hot water

• Silken tofu or pudding that melts in your mouth

These are the ultimate rescue items that allow you to conserve energy to the absolute limit when it comes to chewing and swallowing.
If you think, 'I just can't do it today,' then just sucking on a jelly drink by your bedside is a perfect 100-point effort. If it's a warm soup, it will gently warm you from the inside out and help loosen up your tense heart as well.

4. Points to note and how to be kind to yourself when you end up 'binge eating' instead

Contrary to losing your appetite, some people may experience an explosion of stress that leads them to 'stuff themselves with potato chips or sweets until they feel like throwing up (binge eating).
And after eating, you might fall into intense self-loathing and want to cry.

But this doesn't mean you are 'lazy' or 'undisciplined'.

It is a 'defense mechanism (sensory seeking)' where your brain, feeling intense stress, tries to numb the emotional pain by quickly taking in strong external stimuli (intense flavors, the uncomfortable feeling of being stuffed).

So, please don't blame yourself by saying, 'I did it again.'

However, since damaging your digestive system will only make your mood sink further, if you feel like you're about to flip the switch into binge eating, try practicing substituting it with 'a different strong sensation' just a little bit.

• Crunching hard on ice

• Chewing strong mint gum

• Drinking sparkling water

If you can trick your brain with strong stimulation to your mouth, you might be able to ride out the wave of overeating a little more calmly.

Summary: Your dining table can be much freer

• Take a break from 'enjoying' your meals and make some days just about 'refueling'

• Prioritize the 'texture' (crunchy, chewy) that feels calming to chew over nutritional value

• On days when you're at your limit, save energy with 'survival food' like jelly or soup

• Binge eating is an SOS from your brain. Try substituting it with stimuli like ice or carbonated water

Please, free yourself from the curse of thinking, 'I have to cook properly and eat properly.'

If you managed to get even a little bit of energy into your body today, in any form, that is a huge success.

'I managed to drink one jelly today, so that's a gold star!' Please lower the bar like that and praise yourself plenty.

🍀 An important request from Akito, your occupational therapist

Thank you so much for reading this far. Finally, I have one important request as a healthcare professional.

If you are currently in any of the following states, please do not try to carry it all alone.

・Things you could 'naturally do' before have suddenly become impossible
・You have been having days where you just cannot sleep at night
・You find yourself crying for no reason or wishing you could just disappear

These are by no means signs of you being 'lazy' or 'weak-willed.' They are signs that your mental energy has been completely exhausted.

Please do not hesitate to visit a medical institution such as a psychosomatic medicine clinic or psychiatry department early, without worrying about whether it's 'serious enough' to go. Relying on a professional is a very respectable step toward taking care of yourself. Please rely on us healthcare professionals as 'allies to protect yourself.' We are always ready to support you and are waiting for you.