8 Daily Ayurvedic Practices to Incorporate Into Your Everyday Routine
Updated: Nov 1, 2021
What you do every day matters more than what you do every once in a while” - Gretchen Rubin
There is no quick fix or super pill that will forever keep us in good health and maintaining a healthy lifestyle requires us to live a balanced life focusing on the body and mind.
The not so secret way to maintain a healthy lifestyle is to slowly incorporate new practices here and there that can easily fit into our already established routines.
A little change here, a different choice there, and slowly we find that over time the habits to a healthier lifestyle are part of our everyday existence.
We no longer have to think about adding them because they will become another habitual act.
Ayurveda is the perfect system to gradually begin adding small practices into our routine because it takes a holistic view of health.
Ayurveda focuses on moderation and balance in all things, from our mental state and mindset to what we eat and how we move through life.
But what small practices can we begin to incorporate into our daily routine?
You may already be practicing some ayurvedic principles without knowing it.
We’ve put together a list of 10 Ayurvedic practices you can start adding to your daily routine right now!
1. Start The Day With a Little Love
Rise a few minutes early and give yourself a quick massage starting at the crown of the head and slowly working your way down through your entire body.
Bonus tip! A self-massage can be enjoyed in the morning and evening before bed!
2. Drink Up!
Drink a glass of warm water upon waking to aid in digestion and movement of the bowels.
This will also help to wake you right up!
3. Keep It Positive
Practice positive thinking and take 5 minutes each day to journal 3-5 things you are grateful for.
Taking time to focus on positive aspects of our lives, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, changes our mindset and prepares us for the day ahead.
4. Refine Your Morning Bathroom Routine
Our morning bathroom time is sacred and usually a time we use to wake up before rushing into our day.
Follow our below guideline to a magical morning.
Brush your teeth and clean your tongue using a tongue scraper
Place 1-2 teaspoons of sesame oil or warm water in your mouth and gently swish it back and forth for around 5 minutes before spitting it out. Oil pulling in this way strengthens your gums and eliminates bacteria in your mouth.
Clear your bowels.
Use an eye dropper with rose water to clean your eyes
Clear your nasal passage using a neti pot and some salt.
Perform Nasya by adding a drop of sesame oil to your finger and massaging the inside of your nostrils keeping the nasal passage clear and alleviating headaches.
Take a shower or bath.
4. A Little Movement Each Day
Start each day with some gentle movement to wake and refresh the body and mind. A light yoga session or a low-intensity workout will get the body loose and put a spring in your step.
5. Enjoy Your Food
When having your lunch (and any meal at that) take some time to clear your space of any clutter allowing you to eat in a clean environment.
As you eat, do so mindfully. Take your time to properly chew your food and savour your food as you eat.
When you are done eating, allow yourself a few minutes to stay seated allowing the food to digest before returning to your day!
6. Dinner Time!
Dinner eaten fairly early in the evening allows enough time to properly digest before we sleep. Aim to keep your last meal of the day a light one, dining between 6 pm & 7 pm.
7. Have a Daily End Time
The blue light from our laptop screens and cellphones suppress our sleep hormones making it harder to fall asleep.
Commit to closing your laptop, and all other screens at least one hour before bedtime.
8. Prepare For A Good Night of Sleep
Struggle to fall asleep?
Close the evening with some meditation or breathwork. This helps to calm the mind before bedtime and prepare the brain for the wonderful night of sleep ahead.