The first thing that we do after waking up in the morning even before stepping on the floor is pick up our phone. What if we told you that this small habit is ruining your days without you even realizing it?
Don’t worry this is not a lecture class where we are going to stop you from doing what’s wrong. Instead we are going to write down simple habits that you can make part of your daily mornings and slowly the urge to pick up the phone will go away on itself after you start to experience the positive effects of starting your day right.
First things first, we should realize that there is no checklist to be followed and definitely not some cheat code to improve our productivity. However, this is the time to reset the body and prepare for the day that lies ahead.
Importance of morning routine:
स्वस्थस्य स्वास्थ्य रक्षणं teaches that a healthy life is attained by aligning with natural rhythm. Charaka and Sushruta Samhita, the epic Ayurvedic texts suggest that mornings don’t only start our day, it also sets the tone of our digestive system, mood and energy for the whole day. Simple dincharya, aka daily routine, is a powerful preventive health tool.
Early morning is dominated by Vata energy, governing:
- Excretion
- Light movement
- Mental focus
- Nervous System.
However, if the natural rhythm is broken by rushing into the morning it eventually causes:
- Gut issues
- Anxiety
- Brain Fog
- Fatigue
- Early aging.
So the main question arises, how should a realistic morning routine look like?
The following are the steps as recommended by Charaka and Sushruta, in chronological order.
1. Waking up at Brahma Muhurta- approximately one and half hours before sunrise, it is the time when the body is biologically ready to start the day. The urge for excretion is the highest, body is well rested, gives us time for practicing yoga. However, know for waking up at Brahma Muhurta it is important to sleep on time the previous night. Further, consistently waking up at the exact same time will bring your body and mind in harmony to the natural rhythm as consistency is the key to success.
2. Drinking warm water- Ushapan: Drinking warm water right after waking up is a daily cleansing practice which acts as an alarm for the digestive system to wake and clear out ama, the toxins which get accumulated in the body. This practice helps in improving the digestion and stabilizes metabolism.
Best Practice:
- Drinking 1-2 glass(es) of lukewarm water
- Avoid ice-cold or very hot water
- Avoid taking supplements at this time
3. Answering nature’s call consistently at the same time:
The worst thing that one can do in the morning is avoid, rush or control the urge for elimination because all of this results into
- Chronic constipation
- Headaches
- Digestive issues
- Skin problems
- Anxiety and restlessness
4. Oral hygiene: Charaka and Sushruta did not only recommend brushing, they gave emphasis to tongue cleaning and oil pulling also.
Tongue cleaning:
While sleeping, all the ama rises up and gets accumulated in the tongue, and if we inculcate this habit of cleaning our tongue in the dincharya, the ama coating gets removed and slowly our digestive fire becomes strong improving our metabolism and gut health.
Oiling pulling:
Oiling pulling on the other hand, is the practice of gargling with coconut oil with mouth closed for about 10-15 minutes and spitting out the oil later. This practice is highly beneficial for gum & teeth health, strengthening the jaw, pulling out toxins from our system etc.
5. Yoga: Light movement in the morning promotes circulation in the body, improves digestion and prepares the body as well as mind for the day without exhaustion. Ayurveda discourages intense workout right in the morning and also suggests movement should be according to one’s body type- Vata, Pitta and kapha.
6. Snanam/ Bathing: Bathing is the practice of cleansing the whole which again improves circulation, promotes flow of energy and refreshes the body and mind.
Best practice:
- Take a warm bath, not too hot not too cold.
- Always start from bottom and move to the upper part.
7. Ahaar/ Food: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it should be eaten mindfully, without screens. It should be hot, nutritious and light on the stomach because our digestive fire follows the pattern of the Sun. The Sun is just rising in the morning and is at its peak only in the afternoon. Likewise our breakfast should be sufficient enough to give us energy till lunch time, not too heavy.
Best practice:
- Avoid cold smoothies
- Avoid fried foods
- Avoid skipping breakfast altogether
Finally a practical 30-40 minutes simple daily routines for the modern day rushed up life:
1. Wake up and breathe mindfully: 1 minute
2. Sip warm water (don’t chug): 2 minutes
3. Excretion: 5-10 minutes (don’t use phone at this time)
4. Oral hygiene: 5-10 minutes
5. Yoga: 10 minutes
6. Snanam: 5 minutes
The most important factor is consistency.
The key away:
Our task for the morning is to start slow, breathe and try to align ourselves with nature. It is not about extremes or ticking the checklist, rather it is about timing and consistency.
