MORNING ROUTINE FOR THE MODERN WOMAN

With rising health concerns, many people have started to have a new at-home pace, which means we need a routine more than ever. Implementing healthy habits improves immunity and helps us stay in a positive frame of mind throughout the day.

Ayurveda emphasizes having a daily routine or dinacharya for good health and disease prevention using lifestyle practices. A modern woman is someone who juggles multiple roles but has to stay calm and poised. She is required to maintain the balance between soft and supportive; and strong and resilient. Following Ayurvedic morning rituals help keep a modern woman’s mind and body balanced and healthy. Ayurveda prescribes starting the day by concentrating on morning rituals to align the body with nature, balance dosha, and develop self-discipline for a better life

Ayurveda believes in starting the day before the sun rises. If you’re someone who wakes up late, if you take the pain to practice early to bed and early to rise, you will be able to observe a refreshing change in just one month. Soon after waking up, you can do short pranayama, Surya Namaskaram, or short meditation to kick-start the day.

Start with a glass of warm water: Ayurveda advices starting your day with a glass of lukewarm water. You can flavor it with a slice of lemon. While the warm water stimulates the GI tract, the lemon helps loosen the ama or toxin in the digestive tract.

Rehydrate your face: Wash your face with cool, non-chlorinated water so that it diffuses the heat and rehydrates the skin. Since the face is one of the most exposed parts of our body, the more we hydrate, the better it is for the skin.

Oil pulling: Ayurveda is particular about oral hygiene and advices using a tongue scraper to remove the undigested ama on the tongue using 7 to 14 strokes of a tongue scraper, from back to front. Besides removing the ama, it stimulates gastric juices and taste buds. Use a soft-bristled brush to clean the teeth. Avoid using harsh abrasives and toothpaste with synthetic chemicals after brushing your teeth and gargle using warm oil, preferably sesame oil. It protects teeth, gums, jaws, and even the voice. 

Eye care: Eyes suffer a lot of strain due to excess exposure to computer monitors and mobile screens. If your eyes are puffy, try keeping slices of cucumber or cotton balls soaked in aloe vera on them. You can do some simple eye movements to stimulate the optic nerve. Move up and down, rotate them in clockwise and anti-clockwise directions. Complete the exercise by forcefully squeezing the eyes shut and then releasing, several times.

Self-massage: Massing energy channels with aromatic oils can heal your mind and body. Do a daily/weekly abhyanga or oil massage. Select oil that suits your dosha. While sweet scents and lavender are good for pitta-type people, eucalyptus or rosemary works well for people with Kapha. To balance Vata, you can use ginger, cardamom, or orange. Take a drop of oil on the ring finger and rub it onto the third eye point in clockwise circles. 

Take a bath: A bath rehydrates the skin. You can choose water temperature based on your body type. At the same time remember, Pitta benefits from cold water; lukewarm water is good for Vata-type people. Warm water works well for people with Kapha-type people. Instead of synthetic soaps and lotions with synthetic chemicals, use Ayurvedic soaps and scrubbers for better skin.

Don’t skip breakfast: You should not skip your breakfast, try having a light breakfast rich in fruit, vegetable juice, nonfat yogurt, or grains.

With the above Ayurveda morning routines, you can rest assured that you’ve supercharged your well-being.