I have to admit, I used to be a skeptic about the Ayurveda daily schedule. I love(d) staying up late to enjoy the night life and the stillness of the wee hours. Being self-employed, I have a lot of flexibility and can wake up when I choose to. So, when I first started receiving the recommendation to go to bed by 10pm, I said “What?? Me in bed by 10pm? No way!”

Oddly enough, as I incorporated more and more self-care and Ayurvedic wisdom into my days, going to bed earlier started to make more sense. And now after a few years of gradually shifting my habits, it’s become an anchor of stability in my daily routine (most days).

So, if the Ayurveda daily schedule below seems like a bunch of crazy talk now, don’t fret! Upleveling your life is a journey made up of many steps and this framework will be there for you as you’re ready to work with it.

What is the Ayurveda Daily Schedule?

Ayurveda understands the world in terms of natural cycles called doshas (you can read more about the doshas here). There are 3 doshas. Here’s a list of qualities that characterize and/or balance the doshas when considering your daily schedule:

• Kapha: spring: awakening, emerging, growing, stability, connection
• Pitta: summer: producing, digesting, metabolizing, moving
• Vata: winter: decreasing energy, waning, resting, becoming more spiritual

If we align ourselves with the doshas, i.e. the cycles of nature, we’ll feel greater balance and harmony. Of course, our intense Western work schedules create high demands on our days to produce, which often leads to burnout, insomnia and other mental and physical issues. So, we do the best that we can with what we’ve got. Here’s what the ideal daily plan looks like:

Daytime

6am-10am: Kapha: wake up at or before 6am, morning routine of self-care, great time for routine meetings
10am-2pm: Pitta: prime productive hours, 12pm is peak digestive time and perfect for eating a big lunch, great time for focus work and logical thinking
2pm-6pm: Vata: waning focus, great time for a nap or break, closing the day, avoid meetings and work that requires a lot of focus

Nighttime

6pm-10pm: Kapha: dinner around 6pm, connection and family time, self-care routine to wrap up the day
10pm-2am: Pitta: in bed by 10pm, prime sleeping hours, body’s cleansing and restorative functions at their peak
2am-6am: Vata: resting, spiritual time, meditating during this time can be highly effective

What if this was your schedule?

That’s the Ayurveda daily schedule in a nutshell. If your day looks nothing like it, that’s ok, you’re not alone! But what would it be like to live this way? Consider taking a moment to close your eyes and imagine what it would feel like if everything in your life magically aligned and you’re living your days by the doshas…

Would you feel more grounded, more connected, more ease?

Then ask yourself what is one thing you could change today to get you closer to the ideal?

Write it down on a sticky note. Put it in your reminders. Tattoo it on your hand.

Feel that it’s done.

Celebrate!

Does your daily schedule feel overwhelming? Don’t know where to start to tame the crazy? Working with an Ayurveda Health Counselor can give you the guidance and support to build more ease into your day – and find relief.  Find out more about Ayurveda consultations here.