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

Then tap the teeth together a few times to stimulate the energy meridians that lie in the mouth. For healthy gums and enamel, brush your teeth with a soft nylon or a natural bristle toothbrush. (Using a hard toothbrush can cause gum recession, pain between the teeth and gums, and damage enamel.) Use a toothpaste free of synthetic chemicals and harsh abrasives. Ayurvedic toothpastes contain herbs, such as neem, lohdra, and kushta, that will help stimulate gums and protect enamel. After brushing, rinse your mouth for two to three minutes with warm olive or sesame oil (swish and spit, don't swallow). "Gargling with warm oil strengthens the teeth, gums, and jaws as well as protecting the voice," says Amita Banerjee, an Ayurvedic nutritionist at New York's Ayurvedic Beauty Holistic Center. Then use the index finger to massage the remaining oil into the gums with small, counterclockwise motions. A gum massage stimulates gum tissue, lubricates cells, and cleanses digestive fire.

Be Sense Sensitive. An ear massage is a boon to the entire body. Begin at the top of the ear and use the thumbs and index fingers to rub the rim, moving slowly down to the lobe. Then place a few drops of sesame oil just outside the opening to the ear canal to keep drying vata energy in check. Ayurveda considers the nose the pathway to the brain, so Banerjee suggests rubbing up to four drops of sesame or olive oil just inside the nostril to clean the sinuses and ensure mental clarity.

Watch Your Peepers. In Ayurveda, eyes are viewed as "the seat of the fire," meaning they are pitta in nature and overheat easily. So lightly splashing cool water into opened eyes helps balance the doshas. If your eyes are extra puffy or irritated, cover them with either slices of cucumber or cotton balls soaked in aloe vera, cooled fennel tea, or milk. (Goat's milk is cooler and therefore preferable, but cow's milk is also fine.) For bloodshot eyes, try three drops of pure rose water in each eye. Strengthen neglected eye muscles and stimulate the optic nerve with a few simple eye movements. Roll the eyes up and down, side to side, and diagonally. Then rotate them in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction. Finish by tightly squeezing the eyes shut and then releasing. Do this several times.

Indulge in a Self-Massage. Massaging one or more energy channels with aromatic oil floods the mind and body with healing energy. Start by choosing an aroma that matches your dosha. To balance vata use ginger, cardamom, or orange; pitta prefers the cool, sweet scents of sandalwood or lavender; kaphas respond best to eucalyptus, rosemary, or sage. Place a drop of oil on the ring finger of the right hand and rub it gently onto the third eye point between your brows, using small, clockwise circles. Deepen and slow your inhalation and exhalation as you count 11 full breaths. If you feel groggy, Mishra suggests stimulating the energy channels between the head and heart by using light pressure against the temples with the flat sides of four fingers. Do not push with the fingertips; instead, press gently on the sides of your head.

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