There is a reason why our forefathers would wake up at Brahmimuhurta (vata time) and hit the bed before 10 P.M (Kapha time). There is a reason why they preferred having main meal between 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. (Pitta time). And that pretty much explains the reason behind the quality and longevity of their lives.
We, the modern-day human beings, have completely disrupted these natural cycles and getting disconnected from our own true self. There is no fixed eating time for us, we never know when we hit the bed or wake up, we have erratic lifestyles, our eating habits are all over the place… and that’s the reason why we are more prone to diseases than our forefathers were.
Isn’t this the high time we get back to natural rhythms and put our lives in order and do the simple-yet-right things?
So, how do we realign our routines with the rhythm of nature? Daily responsibilities and stress aside, following this simple DINACHARYA will help us get on track.
Outline of Ayurvedic Daily Routine for Healthy Adults
- Wake up before the sun rises preferably at Brahmimuhurta i.e. 48 minutes before sunrise. Brahmimuhurta is the time when the sattvikqualities prevail in the nature thatbrings peace of mind and freshness to the senses.
- Pray the God for everything you have. Thank him for adding one more day into your life.
- Rinse the mouth and drink water stored in copper vessels as copper water has rejuvenating effect.
- Attend natural calls ideally within the first hour of waking as the autonomic reflexes are active naturally in morning.
- Brush your teeth with natural tooth powder or paste and do tongue scraping.
- Oil pulling to strengthen gums and teeth
- Physical exercise or yoga. Exercising is most optimal in the morning, between 6am and 10am, when the body is in its kapha phase and at its strongest physically
- followed by pranayama and dhyana
- Gentle body massage followed by shower
- Offering prayer to god comes next
- Simple breakfast
- Get to your profession
- Lunch: relax and make it the largest meal of the day. Eating the largest meal of the day at lunchtime aligns with the pitta time of day, from 10am until 2pm, when the digestive fire is strongest.
- Do not snack until dinner
- Creative design.
- Get back home
- Refresh
- Early dinner with family member
- Relax. Evening kapha time is a good time to slow down and get ready for bed.
- Get to bed before 10 p.m.
All our daily routines are tuned according to this biological clock or vata-pitta-kapha clock (in short VPK clock). In fact, the entire concept of molecular mechanism that controls circadian clock is based on VPK clock emphasized by Ayurveda scholars
Vata time in the morning is to visualize and organize the day. Vata energy in the afternoon is about using that mental energy in a focused and efficient manner. Vata energy corresponds with creativity and cognitive ability. This is why the afternoon period between 2pm-6pm is a great time for brainstorming and creative projects. and
In the morning, Kapha energy needs to be stimulated but, in the evening, the slow and peaceful qualities need to be honored
During Pitta times of the day, your digestive power is at its greatest. This is why in Ayurveda;the largest meal of the day is at mid-day between that 12 pm -2pm time frame when we’re best able to digest heavy meals.
In the evening Pitta time, the body starts to digest mental energy and the body’s repair mechanisms turn on as we sleep. That is why in Ayurveda it’s best to be in bed and resting from 10pm-2am so that the body can have the time it needs to do all this transforming and metabolizing on the inside.
Ayurveda explains in detail when to wake up, what to do after waking up, when to exercise, when to eat, when to perform our daily chores, when to socialize, when to sleep and so on and so forth.
Scientists are only now beginning to understand exactly how important it is for the body to stay connected to the rhythms of nature