DINACHARYA: DAILY EVENING ROUTINE
The best time for evening routine is between the hours of 8pm-10pm, which is the kapha time of day, when you feel fatigue & sluggish from your productive day.
- Triphala : Triphala is one of the most useful Ayurvedic formula. It is mixture of 3 fruits: haritaki, amalaki and bibhitaki. These fruits are known to be super fruits and have the unique ability to both gently cleanse ,detoxify the digestive tract and nourishing the tissues of the body. Try our Triphala Churna before bedtime to help establish a regular elimination pattern and balance the body.
- Sleep: Proper sleep is one of the main Pillars of Life in Ayurvedic medicine. Sleep is an essential way for healing the body from daily stress. As our minds rest during sleep the body is able to focus on digesting, metabolizing and regenerating. Not only do the tissues of the body replenish and heal, but our minds and emotions have an opportunity to digest and release stress, as well. Millions of Americans suffer from chronic diseases like depression, obesity, hypertension and diabetes. An unhealthy sleep cycle can contribute to such diseases because our bodies and minds become more fragile without proper rest. Eventually, lack of sleep catches up with us, making us less productive at work and feeling less vital and alive.
So, what is considered proper sleep? Ayurveda believes that sleep patterns should be in accordance with the sun; thus, the best time to sleep is from 10 pm-6 am. As the sun sets, the pineal gland, located in the brain, receives information from the eyes that it is becoming dark and evening has arrived; thus, it is time for the pineal gland to produce melatonin, a serotonin derived hormone, which prepares the body for sleep. When we are still on our phones, watching television or have overhead lights on as evening rolls in, the pineal gland is unable to produce an appropriate amount of melatonin; thus, it becomes harder to fall asleep at 10 pm. Here are some evening dinacharya practices to help you prepare the body for sleep:
- Set the Mood - Turn off or dim all overhead lights in the evening. This way, your pineal gland can function optimally.
- No More Screen Time - Set an intention to turn off all screens by 8pm or 9pm. When you are exposed to this artificial lighting, your melatonin and circadian rhythms are disrupted.
- Be In Bed by 10pm - Restoration and regeneration of our bodies and minds, works most efficiently between the hours of 10pm- 2am; hence, you need to actually be in bed by 10pm in order to get your best rest. If you are up past 10pm, the metabolic energy that should be used to heal and regenerate the body transfers over to mental activity. This is the reason why you can sometimes experience a ‘second wind.’