Wake-Up Routine

Not a morning person? These Ayurvedic rituals will turn you into an early riser and change how you face the day.

By Catherine Guthrie

If that morning mantra "rise and shine" strikes you as the ultimate oxymoron, you might have something to gain from Ayurveda's approach to waking up. According to Ayurvedic philosophy, choices that you make regarding your daily routine either build up resistance to disease or tear it down. Ayurveda calls for getting a jump-start on the day by focusing on morning rituals that work to align the body with nature's rhythms, balance the doshas, and also foster self-esteem alongside self-discipline. Adopting just one or more of the following practices for a month can radically alter your experience of the day. Don't be surprised if you begin to view mornings in a new light.

Beat the Sun. Roll out of bed at least 20 minutes before sunrise. Vata energy fills the atmosphere during these pre-dawn hours, and since vata is known for movement this is the ideal time to rouse your body. "By waking up before sunrise, you are exposed to the special energy in the air," says Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra, an Ayurvedic expert in Colorado Springs, Colorado. "It's a good idea to wake up, go out, and get that breeze in your body." For when sunlight illuminates the sky, vata energy is replaced by kapha, or muscle, energy, explains Michael Sullivan, the director of Riverview Spa, an Ayurvedic yoga retreat in Buckingham, Virginia. Sunrise means it is time to get moving. And indeed if you are already up, the transition will be a snap. Once your feet hit the floor, savor the stillness by indulging in a brief round of pranayama and Sun Salutations or by going to the cushion for a short meditation.

Activate Your Innards. The Ayurvedic philosophy believes the first item you ingest sets the mood for the remainder of the day. With that thought in mind, drink a glass of lukewarm water flavored with a fresh slice of lemon or lime. Here, the Ayurvedic reasoning is twofold. The warm water serves to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract and peristalsis—the waves of muscle contractions within the intestinal walls that keep things moving. Secondly, lemons and limes are high in minerals and vitamins and help loosen ama, or toxins, in the digestive tract.

Face Value. Sleep is tough on the face. Rinsing your face upon waking is an easy way to disperse heat, or leftover pitta energy, and prepare the skin for the day's challenges, namely heat, stress, and pollution. Thus Mishra recommends splashing the face seven times with cool, preferably nonchlorinated water. (An auspicious number in Ayurveda, seven represents the body's chakras, or energy centers.) "The face is the most exposed area of the body, so morning rehydration is crucial," he says. "All day the face is bombarded with stresses. The more hydration the better." Overnight, trapped heat also dries out the mouth. So while rinsing your face, take a sip of cool water, swish it slowly, and spit it out when it gets lukewarm. Repeat two to three times.

Mind Your Mouth. Whereas many of us may dismiss morning tongue-fuzz as an innocuous by-product of sleep, Ayurveda interprets it as a sign of undigested ama lurking in the digestive tract. Ayurvedic practitioners thus rely on the aptly named tongue scraper to dislodge ama, lest it be reabsorbed while eating or drinking. (Both plastic and metal tongue scrapers are sold at many health food stores, but a stainless steel spoon works in a pinch.) Scrape the tongue gently, working from back to front. Use seven to 14 strokes to cover the entire area. This not only rids the tongue of ama, but also unearths the taste buds, awakening the gastric fire for another day of savoring food.

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