Morning rituals are called Dinacharya, and they are a great way to start your day if you want to improve your mental, emotional and physical health. Here are five ways to do it!
1. Wake up before dawn.
This can be difficult in the beginning for many people, but at least try to be up by 6 am. Once this becomes habitual, the early morning hours can feel peaceful and magical. Getting up early will feel more natural and you'll find it's easier to have full bowel movements. In Ayurveda, health is all about regular elimination!
If you wake up after 6am, you may feel slow and have dull energy throughout your day. Even if you get eight hours of sleep, if you don't get up before the sun, chances are you still won't feel fresh and well rested. So be in bed by 10pm and up by 6am. Try it for at least a week! Eventually you'll love it, and you may notice that you'll get so much more accomplished in your day.
2. Scrape your tongue.
Tongue scraping promotes tooth and gum health and removes bacteria and toxins responsible for periodontal problems such as plaque buildup, tooth decay, loss of teeth, and gum disease. Tongue scraping is important because the mouth is the starting point of digestion. Scraping activates saliva production and promotes agni (the digestive fire) to assist in digestion throughout the entire day.
3. Drink warm water with lemon.
This is the best morning drink because it aids in digestion, helps the body to eliminate waste much easier and is helpful in preventing constipation and diarrhea. Warm water and lemon is rich in nutrients like calcium, potassium, vitamin C and fiber.
4. Use a neti pot to cleanse your nasal passages.
A neti pot alleviates any nasal stuffines and can be used as a preventive measure to keep the nasal passageways clear. It reduces the change of colds and flus, alleviates sinus headaches, improves the sense of smell and taste and is useful in reducing or eliminating snoring.
5. Develop a breathing practice, called Pranayama.
Meditation, pranayama and an asana practice are one of the best ways to increase health and start your journey with Ayurveda. This can be as simple as a few rounds of sun salutations, deep breathing (or other pranayama techniques you are comfortable with) followed by several moments of meditation
So, see you at dawn!
Disclaimer
All views and information shared here is only for the sharing of Ayurvedic knowledge. Please do not try or prescribe or take any of the remedies and suggestions here without talking to your regular, qualified doctor. Kottakkal Ayurveda and no other person associated with Kottakkal is responsible for unwanted side-effects or contraindications in your health.