I really relate to this. I find that if I get sunlight, exercise, water and food, everything just goes better. Getting the first two helps me to manage the second two more easily.
I find when I don't eat or drink water, I'm more likely to have problems. On Wednesday, I didn't eat because of anxiety, then went through an anxiety producing event in the afternoon, then I ate pasta (I personally think carbs are NOT a good choice... if you're going to eat them, make sure to eat them with protein and lots of veggies), and I went walking. Later that night, I ended up being unable to control my body temperature... my husband spent an hour and a half with me trying to help me stop shivering. Then I had a flashback later in the evening. That threw off my sleep schedule. Lack of sleep is going to cause more problems, I fear! And it's all interrelated.
This was a really interesting thread that I think is worth reading...
https://www.myptsd.com/threads/i-think-ive-got-a-name-for-it-now-childhood-emotional-neglect.38265/. Just throwing it in here in case someone is interested. Childhood neglect is huge and mostly overlooked, and really ties in with basic self-care, food, water, sleep, having people care about your emotions, your needs. It's all connected.
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stuff, I think it's really good what you're noticing, it's important stuff. It's not nearly as obvious to me as it seems. It's like everyday I notice more and more the cause and effect. I've been having these same "attacks" dozens and dozens of times for years. I don't eat, experience stress, then I eat things that are less than healthy for me, I can't control my body temperature, I'm not drinking enough water, I'm doing too much exercise for the day... and BOOM! Horrible flashbacks and sleep disturbances. Self-care does not come naturally to me, so I ended up making a chart for myself, which I update... vitamins, water, food, sunlight, exercise, sleep. Mandatory. I'm still struggling to do it all the time, but I can see how much it helps when I do.
