The
daily regime or routine is called Dincharya in Sanskrit. According to
Ayurveda to maintain a healthy and disease free life one should follow a
daily routine or schedule. It is important to follow a daily regime in
order to be optimally healthy. Everyday two cycles of change pass
through us, each bringing a Vata, Pitta, or Kapha predominance. First cycle: 6 A.M. to 10 A.M. - Kapha
10 A.M. to 2 P.M. - Pitta
2 P.M. to 6 P.M. - Vata
Second cycle: 6 P.M. to 10 P.M. - Kapha
10 P.M. to 2 P.M. - Pitta
2 A.M to 6 P.M. - Vata
Based on the above cycles our daily ideal schedule should be like the following: A day is divided into morning, noon, evening, dinner and bedtime. Morning is the time to wake up. A healthy person should get up two hours before sunrise. It is very healthy to get up during this hour, as the environment is fresh and clean. This is the time when there is the most sattva in the air. It is the most fresh and pure time of the day. Drinking a glass or two of warm water helps in the elimination. Brushing the teeth and scraping the tongue is done. Massage the body (abhyanga) with sesame oil. This massage need not be long and cumbersome. Massaging the Scalp, forehead, temples, hand and feet for about 5 minutes is sufficient. Bathing should be done in mild water, which is neither too hot nor too cold. Exercise and meditation forms an important part of the morning activities. It circulates the blood within the body and helps in breathing fresh air. Breakfast should be warm, nourishing and wholesome. During noon Lunch should be taken early between 12 and 1P.M. this coincides with the peak Pitta period, Pitta is responsible for the digestion. Ayurveda recommends that the lunch should be the largest meal of the day. After the meal it is good to take a little walk, a couple hundred steps only, to help the food digest. Anything more than a short nap should be avoided because sleeping in the day is prohibited in Ayurveda.
Evening is the time between day and night a special time of balancing the whole day activity. This is the time for evening prayers and meditations in many cultures around the world. According to Ayurveda dinner should be taken around 7 p.m. It should not be heavy. It should be lighter than the lunch. The dinner should be made at least three hours before bedtime as gives the body ample time to digest the food and relax. Sleeping immediately after the dinner is not right. Walk to aid digestion for about 10 - 15 minutes. 10 p.m. is the bedtime. You should go to sleep around this time so that you get a sound sleep of six to seven hours. It is good to message the soles of your feet before going to bed as it relaxes your system. This is the complete daily routine, which everyone should follow to lead a healthy lifestyle.
