With winter break coming an end soon, the copious amounts of stress will start again soon. Some people have a hard time getting back into a regular routine, but when they do, they often don't place themselves before others.

Make it a goal to prioritize self-care this new year.

Self-care is something that is not practiced as much as it should be. This should not be the case.

Putting your health is mandatory and is a lot more important than pulling an all-nighter for an exam. Many people, especially college students, don't get enough sleep daily. It's shocking to find how many of those students actually get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep. Surprisingly enough, a few of them actually get that much. This problem occurs for more than just college students, it occurs in high schoolers and working adults as well.

People need to realize that being able to function sleep deprived is not an accomplishment. I mean, sure, not many people have the talent to do that and good for you, but it will end up catching to you in the long run. A way to alleviate this problem is to make sure to manage time properly and turn off your electronics before heading to bed. When setting the alarm, make sure the amount of sleep you will be getting is in the range of 7-9 hours or so. Getting enough sleep will make you feel energized and productive the very next day so don't underestimate the power of getting that extra hour or two of sleep.

A lack of sleep isn't the only problem. Many people don't take the action to reach out for help because of the stigma that surrounds it and mental health.

A step that we need to take is remove that stigma and increase awareness that seeking out for help doesn't mean one is troubled. Getting help is necessary if someone truly feels like they need it. No one should be afraid of reaching out for themselves.

This message goes out to loved ones surrounding the person suffering as well. If you sense someone close to you is keeping their feelings to themselves or not acting like they always do, don't be afraid to step in and help out to tell them that it's completely okay to ask for help.

It's overall very important to care for yourself. Your health is more important than anything out there. For 2018, please make it a priority to take time for yourself. Look after yourself and care for yourself, because YOU are worthy of having a good year!