It might seem strange to hear your therapist ask you if you’ve been drinking enough water, eating nutritious food regularly, and getting sleep. You might think, “I don’t need someone to remind me to do these basic survival tasks!”

You might be surprised how quickly these things are forgotten when you feel stressed, depressed, and overwhelmed. When our basic needs are ignored, it is a slippery slope toward feeling even worse than we already do. Remember to pay attention to the simplest things if you feel out of whack. Check in with yourself. Are you hungry? Thirsty? Tired? Attending to these basic needs can lead to a surprisingly effective recharge to your system.