1.
Short Answer: Hydration and Vitamin D. Very important for our bodies to function well and feel good.
More details: We rarely drink enough water in general - it's one of those things that we tell ourselves that we need to do, we know we need it and it's good for us, but it is never a priority. Just like a plant, if you don't water it, it withers and dies. We won't necessarily die, but we can wither - winter especially is a time that our bodies need hydration to help our immune systems and circulation to keep us healthy. As far as sunlight, this promotes production of vitamin D which helps keeps our bones and muscles healthy as well as helping our hormones that keep us healthy, unstressed, and calm. We can get Vitamin D naturally through sunlight, but that requires being outdoors, which can be difficult if you work indoors during daylight hours, and especially in the winter when outdoor activities are limited by weather. Supplements and SAD lights can help, but taking a few minutes to rest in light when you can will do wonders.
2.
Short answer: You can’t give if you have nothing to give. Take care of yourself so you can take care of others. We often forget that and put others before ourselves. Remember that caring for yourself is not selfish, it’s necessary.
More details: Women especially tend to always put the needs of others before their own needs. This is more or less bred into us and reinforced with societal expectations that women need to do it all, be there for everyone, and they just need to focus on everyone else - with no mention of taking care of themselves because they are "just supposed to do it all". Unfortunately, giving requires having something to give. Women and caretakers in general, need to take care of themselves so that they have the energy and mental clarity to be there for everything they are expected to do. This often applies to women, but both genders need time to relax and re-charge. Work, taking care of family or loved ones, and generally dealing with he stresses that are both put on us and that we put on ourselves can deplete us and we need to allow ourselves time to recharge. It doesn't mean we need a 2-week vacation every month. Sometimes just a few minutes alone in the quiet, or a standing dinner date with friends each week is all that is needed to clear your head, heal your soul, and give the energy to keep going. You have to charge your phone to keep it functioning and doing what you need it to do - your body and spirit is no different.
3.
Short answer: Social media, where we spend a lot of our time, tends to give us the impression that you always need to be (or at least present yourself as) happy, calm, and all-together. This is a very unhealthy and unrealistic attitude. In reality, sometimes life sucks and it is ok to not be ok.
More details: Nobody wants to be a "downer" but at the same time, the reality of life is that families, life, everything around us isn't perfect all the time. Yes, we want to celebrate our wins online, and we want people to congratulate us and smile at what we have to offer, but it is easy to allow ourselves to compare our lives to the ultra-filtered and edited lives that others present every day. It is natural that we are attracted to posts, videos, and images that present good or happy news, and shy away from bad news or people venting or griping about things. However when we start do second-guess our own lives, or get upset that our lives aren't as perfect as others', it can cause us to increase our depression and anxiety and cause us to second-guess everything we do with our own lives, or even think we're doing something wrong. Truth is, people don 't show the bad, but that doesn't mean the less-than-perfect doesn't exist. It does exist, it happens, and without the bad, how can we truly appreciate the good?
4.
Short answer: Keeping things bottled up is never good, and can build up like a pressure cooker. Having a trusted friend, therapist, or family member that you can occasionally vent and unload to will do wonders for keeping you sane and healthy.
More details: Our bodies store and remember things - more than just physical trauma. Emotions, feelings, and stress can all remain in our bodies for a long time. And just like anything, the more you add without taking away, the more full and over-full it can become until it overflows or blows up. Stress can cause muscle tension, worry and upset can alter our hormones and prevent us from sleeping and therefore healing and recovering well. We need to release our stresses, issues, and things that upset us, and sometimes talking it out, venting, or just having someone who will let us cry on their shoulder is all that is needed to diffuse that pressure and let us get our bodies, mind, and stresses back to normal so we can start to handle the next round of what is coming at us.
