If you treat this game like a "casual" exploration game, you are going to die... A LOT.

You have to play this game as though "something" is about to kill you at any moment, because, it's likely something is going to try... regardless if you are exploring or just building a house in the meadows, you need to be ready, at a moment's notice, to fight for your life or flee (also a perfectly useful strategy).

To "be ready" means keeping your foods topped off at ALL times, (even if you are just building), as well as having the rested buff active at all times... Upgrade your gear, to the best of your current ability for the biome you are currently playing, and NOT going into any other (harder) biomes until you have fully defeated the biome you are in ... It's a progression.

You are meant to play one biome at a time... fully explore that biome, and collect it's resources and items. Upgrade your gear, upgrade your foods, plant crops if new seeds are found, brew meads,,,,, Basically PREPARE yourself fully and then try to defeat the Boss of that biome before you move on to the next biome and start the cycle again for the new biome.

The game allows you to go wherever you want, but that doesn't mean you SHOULD... If you skip progression and go into harder biomes before you are prepared to be there, you are going to die... If you let your guard down or forget to eat or lose your rested bonus, your next step could be your last.

The game really isn't that difficult if you are careful about what you are doing and where you are going (or NOT going).