How to Build an Ayurvedic Morning Routine
Updated: Oct 7
Establishing an Ayurvedic morning routine is crucial as it shapes the tone of your day, enhancing productivity, happiness, and stress management. A well-crafted routine sets the stage for a positive start each day and provides you with more energy and focus.
Explore more on the Saumya Blog, selected top Ayurveda blogs and websites to watch.
Following a routine isn't easy at first, but over time, it will begin to feel second-nature. An Ayurvedic morning routine will leave you feeling refreshed, centered, and ready to take on any challenges that might come your way.
Find the Right Time to Wake Up According to Ayurveda
How much time do you have to get ready in the morning? If you're typically rushing to get out the door, you're going to feel tense – which can leave you on edge for the rest of the day. You may want to start waking up earlier so that you have more time for yourself in the mornings.
Good sleep hygiene is the foundation of a nourishing Ayurvedic morning routine. When we wake up at the most supportive time, we are catching a wave of energy versus swimming up stream. The ideal wake up schedule varies by dosha - and sunrise changes with the seasons - but in general:
Vata-dominant types should wake up by 6:00 a.m.
Pitta-dominant types should wake up by 5:30 a.m.
Kapha-dominant types should wake up by 4:30 am
If your current schedule isn’t ideal, adjust your wake-up time gently. Each week, get up 15 minutes earlier until you’ve reached the ideal waking time for your Ayurvedic morning routine. If you’re not able to manage the change well one week, repeat the same time the next week. Learn to flow with the natural energy present.
Regularity in sleep and waking is key to feeling good. If you’re going to be waking up earlier, you’ll need to go to bed earlier too – otherwise you’ll just be tired! Focus on getting at least seven hours of sleep each night, and try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day (even on weekends). Enjoy our video on, A Beginner's Guide to Ayurvedic Morning Routine.
"Sleeping in to the wrong time of day can make us feel less energetic and less focused versus more well rested." - Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
Start Your Day with an Affirmation
Ayurveda teaches that the mind, body, and spirit are all connected. When you learn to think more positively, you'll see changes in your physical well-being as well. That’s why uplifting affirmations are a powerful addition to your Ayurvedic morning routine.
Affirmations begin with the words "I am." For example, you could say "I am ready to take on the day" or "I am a strong and confident person." Your affirmations should be in the present tense, and be positive.
When you're choosing an affirmation, you may want to look at the things you struggle with throughout the day. If you worry that you're underperforming at work, you could say "I am going to do a great job at work today." If you're concerned about how others see you, you could say "I am pleasant to be around." If you repeat those words every day, you'll eventually start to believe them.
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Enjoy an Ayurvedic Morning Drink
It's important to nourish your body at the start of the day, even if you're not ready to have a meal. Having warm water first thing in the morning flushes the system and encourages healthy elimination. Try a hot cup of water with lemon or digestive tea.
Everyone benefits from daily digestive tea, but which herbal blend is best for you depends on your constitution, current condition, and the season.
How Do I Know If I Have a Dosha Imbalance?
Peruse these comprehensive and convenient lists of signs and symptoms of dosha imbalances.
Peruse these comprehensive and convenient lists of signs and symptoms of dosha imbalances. As we are comprised of all Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, there can be an imbalance in any of the doshas, or a combination of dosha imbalances. Read all three lists and see if anything looks familiar.
Ayurvedic Massage: Part Of Your Morning Routine
Abhyanga or Ayurvedic self-massage is a fantastic way to keep your body and mind in balance. While a full body massage can take time, it’s easy to make a quick self- massage part of your Ayurvedic morning routine.
While Abhyanga self-massage may seem complex, it’s really quite easy – and you can do it at home!. If you can devote ten or even five minutes to massage, you'll be able to build a relaxing and satisfying morning routine
Pranayama Breathwork
How we breathe changes how energy - or prana - moves through our bodies. All dosha types can benefit from two basic pranayama, or breathwork practices: diaphragmatic breathing and alternate nostril breathing (Nadi shodhana).
To make pranayama part of your Ayurvedic morning routine, start with regular diaphragmatic breathing. Once you’ve established a strong practice, add alternate nostril breathing to your morning ritual. (Sequence is key: Nadi shodhana should be performed after diaphragmatic breathwork.)
These simple pranayama techniques are accessible to all. Before taking on more advanced breathwork, consult an experienced Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner to determine your Virkruti (current state) and avoid potential harm.
Related Readings: Learn Diaphragmatic Breathing and Change Your Life
Meditation Practice
Morning and evening meditation helps you awaken and carry a relaxed awareness throughout your day. Pranayama (breathwork) prepares the body to go deeper into the meditative state, so meditation is best done following pranayama..
“It is the quality of the pranayama breathwork that is important, not the quantity. Perform a few minutes of quality practice consistently.” - Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
Start with Saumya Ayurveda’s two-minute or 11-minute guided relaxation meditations. For those who wish to move deeper into inner-stillness, continue on to the 31 Point Blue Star practice.
Dinacharya or Daily Rhythm
When we flow with the natural rhythm of the day, that is to say, follow the doshas that are dominate at different times and leverage their energies, we have more focus, balance, and sense of calm.
Create and follow a simple dinacharya. Here guides for your morning and evening routines: Ayurvedic Morning Routine | 6 Rituals for a Calm and Centered Day 10 Ayurvedic Evening Rituals for a Calming Night
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There is a saying, "The mind is more in the body, than the body is in the mind." The Saumya 3 step meditation process shifts us from fight-flight-freeze mode, to rest-restore-relax mode. Give it a try for forty days and observe the changes. The more grounded and relaxed we are, the smoother life flows.
"The breath is the connection between the mind and body, so by training the breath, we become calm, focused, and grounded, we slow down the aging process by decreasing stress. These practices are so simple and easy to have as part of our daily life. We actually feel and look younger."
- Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
1. Learn Diaphragmatic Breathing and Change Your Life. When we re-learn to breath diaphragmatically, we move from the flight-fight-freeze mode, to rest, restore, relaxation mode from where we want and need to live.
2. Daily Guided Practices: 11 minutes in the morning and in the evening, as anchors of your daily Ayurveda routine.
3. Ayurveda Daily Routines: --Ayurvedic Morning Routine | 6 Rituals for a Calm and Centered Day
"Choose a couple of practices from the routines that provide you with the greatest support. Perform them while applying our two minute meditation technique and your mundane tasks, just transformed into a mellifluous meditation. This is meditation applied to daily life." - Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
"Veena was able to help me regain my energy in just a few months and I’m feeling like my “young” self again! I love the food plan she designed for me, and all the supporting practices (am/pm routines, breathing techniques, herbs, and spice mixes) are so enjoyable to incorporate into my day. I highly recommend Saumya Ayurveda if you want to feel better and have more vitality.”
-Molly Rossini, Minnesota
Explore More: Ayurveda Breathwork Pranayama
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With Veena’s guidance, with herbs and diet changes, I soon realized that my symptoms were very real. After making the changes, I made small victories along the way, and became better with each appointment with her.
Now almost 6 months later, I am a completely different person. I still have some things to work on, but with Veena’s help, I know I will be able to take control of my health and not leave it to Western medicine that was giving me little to no help and covering up my symptoms with another medication.
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How to Build an Ayurvedic Morning Routine
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Veena is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and meditation teacher, and monk.
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