The Power of Routine

A daily routine, known as dinacharya in Āyurveda, should not be underestimated. It is one of the most powerful tools for bringing about balance and boosting vitality. All three of the great classical āyurvedic texts; the caraka samhitā, the suśruta samhitā, and the astāñga hrdayam, highlight the importance of following a regular dinacharya, and outline some essential daily activities that should be included within it. Ultimately, it assists in preventing imbalances & diseases, maintaining good health, and supports longevity in a huge way.

Though it may seem like a simple concept, the subtle changes it invokes give life to profound enhancements in health & wellbeing. The majority of activities within the dinacharya are concentrated within a morning routine. Establishing a strong morning routine is a vital aspect of the practice because it sets the tone for the rest of the day, and yields benefits well into the evening too.

The word dinacharya is made up of ‘dina’ meaning day, and ‘acharya’ meaning activity or regimen. So, it literally translates to ‘daily activities/ regimen’. The daily habits cultivated in dinacharya are intended to bring us closer to living in harmony with nature. By aligning ourselves to nature's rhythms, we perform activities at the time of the day where they yield the best results for optimal functioning of body, mind, and emotional states. This prevents imbalances and enhances health & longevity. Though some daily activities are best carried out at specific times in the day, others may need to be adapted, and should be personalised to each individual and the demands of their schedule.

Nurturing & Grounding

Habitual self-care practices, especially those performed in the morning, invite a moment of stillness where the body and mind can ground themselves before taking on the challenges of the day. This invokes a peaceful state of mind, giving rise to clarity and awareness. Setting the mind up in this way right from the get go, centres the body and mind, and paves the way for this state of mind to continue into the day.

Performing meaningful activities daily, therefore, has the ability to support mental health. A regular routine for daily rituals and tasks removes some of the decision making involved in the day, and makes time and space for work, study, or any other goal that you may be working on. It provides a sense of control and the ability to take ownership of the day. We live in a world where unpredictable events and circumstances can often crop up. A daily routine, however, can provide us with the opposite; consistency and stability. It may even be able to support us better when unexpected things do come up. This is because of the calmness it invokes, and the awareness it cultivates within us. In certain situations, it may even lead us to respond, rather than react.

Furthermore, routine is one of the best ways to calm and pacify the mighty vāta. Vāta is characterised as irregular and ungrounded when out of balance, and thus responsible for bodily, mental & emotional functions that become irregular and ungrounded, such as inconsistent digestion, anxiety, and insomnia. The regularity and structure that a dinacharya brings, calms vāta, which in turn helps in regulating bodily and mental functions, and ultimately aiding in maintaining equilibrium in the body and mind.

Aligning with Circadian Rhythms

A regular daily regimen is pivotal in allowing the body to align to its circadian rhythm, or internal biological clock. This is important because different functions of the body are activated at different times of the day in accordance with the outer environment. Being in harmony with this allows the body to carry out its normal functions properly and optimally, with little to no struggle. Waking, sleeping, digestion, the release of hormones, body temperature, and other significant bodily functions are all influenced by light and dark cycles, as well as the energies of the different doshas which are dominant at different times of the day.

Āyurveda explains that the energies of the three different doshas, vāta, pitta, and kapha, each dominate for approximately a 4-hour period once in the day and once in the night. Kapha predominates from 6am-10am and 6pm-10pm, pitta predominates from 10am-2pm and 10pm-2am, and vāta predominates from 2am-6am and 2pm-6pm. This comprises the Ayurvedic clock.

Essentially, each dosha’s energies and qualities are yielded into, and are abundant at the time of day that it dominates. This means we can, and absolutely should, work with these energies and take advantage of the qualities they bring at different times of the day. We can do this by prioritising daily activities that complement the predominating qualities at certain times, where they provide us with the utmost benefits for our wellbeing. At the same time, we can avoid activities that may clash with the predominating qualities and lead to undesirable effects instead.

For example, pitta dosha is the energy responsible for digestion, absorption and assimilation, so the best time in the day to eat your biggest and heaviest meal is at lunch time, between 11am and 1pm during peak pitta time. Pitta energy is abundant so this is the time of day when digestive strength is the strongest, and when your body is most geared up to transform ingested food into nutrients to nourish and build your dhātus (bodily tissues), as well as provide energy. Eating a heavy meal or foods in the evening when kapha dominates, and when digestive strength is low will result in indigestion and the accumulation of āma (toxins which cause disease).

Another example is ideal sleeping times. Āyurveda recommends we should be asleep by 10pm and this is because kapha dosha is abundant in the evening (6pm-10pm). The dominance of kapha’s guru (heavy), and sthira (stable) qualities make it more conducive to being able to drop into a sound sleep for the night. While staying up past 10pm, into the pitta time, is likely to give a second wind of energy, as pitta’s energy is more active and conducive to taking action, learning, and working. Moreover, it is important to be asleep during the pitta time from 10pm-2am because this is when the body and mind detoxes, repair and rejuvenation takes place and when hormones rebalance themselves.

Embracing Daily Rituals

Below are a few examples of activities that can be included in a dinachraya and their preferred times. Though, please note, a daily routine should be personalised to each individual and their current needs.

Morning:

Wake up by 6am

Ayurveda teaches us to rise before the sun, during what is called brāhma muhūrta (the early hours of the morning; approx. 96 mins before the sun rises, or at approximately 3am-6am (1), depending on the time of year). This time is high in sattva and spiritual energy, making it an ideal time for meditation & other yogic practices or self-reflection. At this time, prāna is flowing in the body, making it more accessible to reach higher states of consciousness, as well as supporting bodily functions.(2) Furthermore, waking before 6am during vāta time provides more of an energetic feeling than if we were to sleep into, and wake up in the kapha time; 6am – 10am, where kapha’s guru (heavy) and manda (slow) qualities impart a sluggish feeling upon waking.

Eliminate

The ideal time to eliminate is upon waking. Cleansing the bowel, and being able to do so regularly is crucial in maintaining health as it rids the body of waste material and toxins. If we’re getting up before 6am, we can take advantage of vāta’s energy of movement, and specifically apāna vāta which is activated, to stimulate a bowel movement.

Oral Care: tongue scraping, teeth brushing, oil pulling

The āyurvedic practices of tongue scraping and oil pulling are awesome for nurturing the oral cavity and elevating oral hygiene. They eliminate toxins built up over night, promote a healthy microbiome in the mouth, strengthen teeth & gums, and awaken the digestion for the day. Using natural toothpaste containing neem and other herbs is also helpful in cleansing and promoting strong oral hygiene. Traditionally herbal sticks were used for brushing teeth and this is what the classical Āyurvedic texts suggest for teeth cleansing. The herbs used (including neem) were pungent, bitter and astringent in taste because these tastes are antibacterial, anti-septic, reduce plaque, reduce bad odour, reduce the chance of getting cavities, and enhance taste perception. (1) (3) Today Āyurvedic herbal toothpastes contain neem and other similar herbs mentioned in the texts, helping us obtain comparable benefits.

Rinse the eyes with cool water

This is refreshing and cooling for the eyes. The subtype of pitta present in the eyes is called alochaka pitta which transforms visual perception into knowledge. Since we are constantly taking in so much through our eyes, and pitta’s heat is needed for transformation, the coolness is soothing, calming to pitta, and supports eye health. A triphala eye wash could also be used to thoroughly cleanse and cool the eyes, a couple times per week. Taking care of the eyes is especially relevant in today’s day where we are routinely exposed to screens. 

Drink warm water

This flushes out toxins that are created overnight, rehydrates the body, gets agni going, and opens up the strotāmsi (channels of the body), facilitating circulation and proper flow.  

Yoga practices: asana, prānāyāma, meditation

Early morning is an ideal time for yogic practices, which should always be individualised. Yoga asanas provide an array of physical benefits and release stagnant energy in the body. Prānāyāma, being the bridge between body and soul, is calming and grounding. Meditation allows access to higher states of consciousness. Yogic practices are powerful in setting you up for the day in a more positive, favourable way, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Abhyañga & shower

Self-oil massage (abhyanga) has been mentioned in both the caraka samhitā, and the astāñga hrdayam as promoting longevity & youthfulness, nourishing the skin, enhancing vision, supporting sleep, and pacifying vāta. (1) (3) It should always be performed on an empty stomach and before taking a shower. The oil used should be personalised to each person, and suitable for the current season. A shower should be taken after abhyanga to drive its benefits deeper into the body. Morning is a good time to shower to cleanse the toxins and pitta built up on the body overnight.

Exercise

The ideal time for exercise is during the kapha time, between 6am-10am, and on an empty stomach. Again, exercise should be specific to each individual and seasonally appropriate.

Nourishing breakfast by 8/8:30am

Breakfast should be medium-light, constitution-specific, and adapted to the strength of each person’s agni.

Afternoon

Lunch between 11:30am-1pm

As this is the pitta time of day where agni (digestive capacity) is at its strongest, lunch should be the biggest meal of the day. Again, food choices should be made bearing in mind each person’s prakruti (constitution), vikruti (current imbalance), and strength of their agni (digestive capacity).

Evening

Dinner between 4:30pm – 7pm

Agni is not so strong in the late afternoon to evening where vāta and kapha dominate respectively, so dinner should be light and early, and eaten at least two hours before bed to allow time for digestion to do its thing.

Nightly Regimen

Start reducing screen time and avoid looking at electronics at least one hour before bed. Other nightly routine activities include applying oil to the feet and top of the head to support good sleep. Specific nightly routine activities should be personalised to each individual.

Sleep by 10pm

Kapha’s energy in the evening (6pm-10pm) should be taken advantage of to drop into a sound sleep for the night. Being asleep in the pitta time, from 10pm-2am, is important in allowing the body to detox, repair, rejuvenate, and balance hormones.

Final Thoughts

Following a dinacharya and maintaining a regular routine of daily activities can provide a multitude of physical, mental, and spiritual benefits. It not only provides structure and consistency, but it can facilitate a cultivation of healthy habits which soon become second nature. And while it may seem that there may be a lot to fit in, especially in the morning, it is important to start slow with a few basics and then incorporate more practices when you feel ready and able to manage more. This helps in sustaining an achievable routine and ritual practices long term.

It is also worth bearing in mind that a dinacharya or daily routine may not always go as planned one hundred per cent of the time, and that is ok. We can be flexible and adapt or prioritize certain dinacharya practices to changing circumstances or schedules. And lastly, a dinacharya should add value to your life, and not be seen as a chore. For more meaningful benefits, it should be carried out with a positive frame of mind and attitude. Perhaps, it could be seen as more of a ritual.

References

1. Vāgbhata, translated by Prof. K.R. Srikantha Murthy. Astāñga Hrdayam. Varanasi : Chowkhamba Krishnadas Academy , 2022.

2. Welch, Dr. Claudia. The Secret Potential of Brahmamuhurta. Dr. Claudia Welch. [Online] 2003. https://drclaudiawelch.com/the-secret-potential-of-brahmamuhurta/.

3. Caraka, translated by Dash, R.K. Sharma Bhagwan. Caraka Samhita. Varanasi : Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office, 2024.