Meaning Of Vata - #2853

trying to understand Ayurveda better cause my health’s been all over the place lately. I came across the word vata so many times but still can’t wrap my head around what it actually means. Like, I get it’s some kind of energy or dosha, but what exactly is the meaning of vata in practical terms? Does it explain why I feel the way I do sometimes? Here’s my situation for the last few months, I’ve been dealing with weird stuff constant dryness in my skin (no matter how much lotion I slap on, my digestion is unpredictable like one day I’m fine and the next I’m bloated like crazy, and sleep don’t even get me started. I wake up at random hours, usually around 3 a.m. and can’t get back to sleep. I read somewhere that vata might be linked to all this, but I’m still confused about how that works. Is the meaning of vata connected to these issues? Also, my mind is just scattered these days. Like, I can’t focus for long, and I’m always jumping between tasks. Someone told me this restless feeling might also be vata-related? But what does that actually mean? And how do I even know if my vata is out of balance? For context, I work in a high-pressure job and have been skipping meals a lot recently. Not by choice just too busy. I also tend to snack on cold foods (I’m addicted to salads and smoothies, even in winter). Could that be making my vata worse? What should I be eating instead? Last thing (sorry this is so long) I’ve noticed my joints crack a lot more these days. Like, I get up from a chair, and it’s like a whole symphony. Is that related to vata? Does the meaning of vata explain why I feel so dry and light all the time, physically and emotionally? I guess my main questions are: How can I figure out if my vata is out of whack? What’s the practical meaning of vata in day-to-day life? If this is all connected to vata, what are the first steps to bringing it back into balance? Thanks for any advice! I feel like I’m drowning in info online but not really getting answers to my specific problems.