Our body is in tune with Mother Nature. The rhythms and forces of nature, the cycle of the earth, moon and sun – all affect us. To maintain a good health and balance the body, we should live our life in harmony with nature. Daily routine, in Sanskrit Dinacharya, goes with the flow of three energies – Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Each of these energies predominates at different times in a 24 hour day, which has an influence on the body and mind.
In this article I would like to give you a little daily schedule to cultivate your balance, increase your energy levels, stimulate your metabolism, increase productivity and center your mind.
It is ideal to wake up before the sunrise…
6 am – 10 am
Our day starts by kapha period. After waking up, our body is rested, slow, and calm, which means characteristics of kapha. Set up your morning routine to create your ideal day.
Activities in the morning routine:
- get up before the sunrise, gently stretch your body, massage your eyes and express your gratitude
- scrape tongue and clean teeth
- evacuation – drink a cup of warm water. This water will not be absorbed but will support bowel movements
- nose drops (Nasya) – put a few drops of warm sesame oil into each nostril. This helps to clean sinuses. Place also 1 teaspoon of sesame oil into your mouth for 5 minutes to remove bacteria and strengthen your gums, then split it out
- oil massage (abhjanga) – gently massage your head and body with warm sesame oil. This massage boosts blood circulation and calms the mind
- take a shower
- do a complete yoga session – sun salutation, asanas, and pranayama
- meditation
- breakfast
This morning routine has many mental and physical benefits for all the day. By taking the time for yourself in the morning, you create more time in the rest of your day because you will be more effective.
The way you start your day is the way how you will feel for its duration.
10 am – 2 pm
This time pitta is at its peak. Midday is stomach time, the sun is highest in the sky and agni (digestive fire) is the most active – the best time for lunch, which is the most important meal of the day. Our body is most efficient to digest meals, absorbing nutrients, and eliminating waste.
You are not only what you eat, but what you successfully digest.
At this time tackle your hardest tasks and make your most important decisions.
2 pm – 6 pm
This is the period of the highest working ability and is called Vata. This is time of mental agility and creativity so that means the best opportunity for writing, planning or producing.
Now the periods repeat but effect on the organism is different.
6 pm – 10 pm
Kapha energy time – heavy, slow, stable. This is period to calm your mind and prepare your body for rest. Dinner should be lighter than lunch. Eat a light easily digestible meal around 6 o’clock because eating late at night will disturb your sleep, and you will not feel rested in the morning. It is time to unwind from activities of the day. Spend time with your family, take a short walk after dinner ( it helps encourage digestion), or read a book. Start relaxing – practice Yin Yoga, pranayma, meditation. Try to avoid watching TV and using electronic devices because too much stimulation before sleep is undesirable. This is also good time to drink Triphala tea.
Sleep does not come the moment you turn off the light so prepare your body for a rest.
10 pm – 2 am
The best time to go to bed is around 10 pm. It allows the rhythms of the body to slow down naturally, gives it a deeper more relaxing sleep and the time to form new tissues. But if you are still awake after 10 o’clock, the sleep is impaired and you will get another rush of alertness. That is because it is the second Pitta period. Deep relaxing sleep is the most restorative, healing part of your day. It eliminates impurities and toxins within body and prepares your body and mind to start a new fresh day. If you might have a problem to fall asleep, massage your feet and the crown of the head with warm sesame oil, practice a pre-sleep meditation or turn on an essential oil diffuser adding a few drops of lavender.
The second Pitta period is also a second digestive phase but the metabolism works differently than at midday. The stomach and intestines are less efficient. So if you eat heavy food and big quantities of food, the part of it is not digested and it can lead to creating toxins in your body.
2 am – 6 am
This is when you enter Vata time. This is the time of deep dreaming. Vata period is manifested in the nervous system, but instead of thinking quickly, as it was in the afternoon, you come into active sleep with dreams. Waking up between 5 am and 6 am, you feel at ease, in high spirits, and fresh. These feelings will come into your body and last all the day. If you wake up at Kapha time, you feel heavy and less fresh.
This daily routine might sound like impossible to do because you go to work, you have to take care of your children,…Don´t worry, it is possible. Take your time and start setting up your day gradually. Go to bed earlier, avoid watching TV, you will wake up earlier and step by step you add activities that your body needs more…Proper bedtime is the foundation for the next day´s activities
Keeping your daily routine, you will see to become healthier, more joyful and effective.
Getting up, eating, and going to bed at the same time every day will provide you a healthy life and energy during all the day.
