Dinacharya: Top Ayurveda Daily Routine Tips

Since antiquity, Ayurveda has been preaching the gospel of dinacharya or a daily routine. Literally meaning "to be close to the day" in the Sanskrit language, Ayurveda's dinacharya practices are designed to maximize your potential by helping you sustain energy levels and balance during the day while you wind down peacefully and restfully for a good night's sleep.

Ayurveda Daily Living Habits for Health

Numerous studies confirm that establishing daily living habits promotes good health. Moreover, some of the world's most successful individuals and geniuses attribute their success to their daily rituals. With the aid of Ayurveda, you can now thoughtfully design personal regimens which maximize your strengths, enhance your lifestyle, and make you feel good.

Dinacharya Morning Routine

Where should you begin? Begin when you awake with a dosha-friendly morning routine! How you start your day affects everything that follows, hence knowing which habits balance your dosha and support your body type is essential. Fortunately, Ayurveda provides easy-to-follow protocols which align with your unique blueprint and which flow with the daily rhythms and cycles of nature.

Ayurveda Morning Routine Benefits

The wisdom of the ages confirms that the first hour of the day is the most important for establishing a set routine. The benefits of a morning dinacharya practice include:

• Activates the body and mind
• Starts the day with awareness
• Regulates mood
• Promotes healthy digestion
• Increases ability to focus
• Promotes greater productivity
• Increases energy levels
• Reduces stress
• Cultivates inner peace

Another bonus: Dinacharya practices actually create time by making you more productive and effective throughout the day.

Dinacharya Guidelines for Sleep

It is a well-known fact that a good night's sleep is essential to good health . Sleep is the body's time to rest, repair, and rejuvenate, allowing your mind, body, and emotions to come into balance.

According to Ayurveda dinacharya protocols, the familiar expression, "Early to bed, Early to rise" will put you in greater harmony with the natural cycles of night and day and allow you to fall asleep and remain asleep more easily. In fact, following Ayurveda sleep guidelines for your dosha may be the cure for insomnia or any other sleep disturbances you are experiencing!

According to the Ayurveda clock, the best timeframe for enjoying a good night's sleep is between the hours of 10:00 pm and 6:00 am. Equally as important, however, is how you spend your time prior to going to bed between the hours of 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm. Engaging in relaxing, pleasurable activities before bedtime helps you wind down and transition successfully from action to rest. The Harvard Business Review article "How to Spend the Last 10 Minutes of Your Day," similarly emphasizes the importance of having meaningful bedtime practices to promote success.

Recommended dinacharya practices for bedtime include:

• Listen to soothing music
• Meditate
• Spend quality time with family or friends
• Go for a walk in nature
• Read an inspirational book
• Light a candle
• Engage in any grounding activities which promote a sense of peace and calm

Ayurveda Tips for Improved Sleep

Additional Ayurveda tips for improved sleep include:

• Turn off your computer, laptop, and TV after 8:00 pm
• Avoid caffeine, sugar and other stimulants prior to bedtime
• Dab some Lavender Essential Oil on your pillow and temples
• Oil and massage your feet with sesame oil
• Drink a cup of warm milk with a teaspoon of nutmeg
• Enjoy a cup of Chamomile tea

Dinacharya Practices for Your Dosha

Now that you are starting your day off right with a dosha-friendly morning routine, be sure to explore these additional Ayurvedic lifestyle areas to learn which daily practices are most suited for your body type:

• Nutrition (foods to eat and avoid)
• Meditation
• Exercise
• Yoga Poses
• Breathing techniques
• Herbs and Spices
• Essential Oils

Finally, whether you are a Vata, Pitta, or Kapha, be sure to include Abhyanga, the famous Ayurvedic oil massage, into your daily living practices. Approximately 15 minutes prior to your bath or shower, massage some warm sesame oil into your body, working from your extremities to your heart. Enjoy!

Photo by Maks Kuzin (CC)