What's the best time to wake up

By Dr. Ajit

According to Ayurveda, to maintain good health, we should strive to live life in harmony with Mother Nature. Living in accordance with the natural laws of the universe is about continually adjusting our bodies to an ever-changing environment. Being in tune with nature also means being in tune with our unique nature or prakriti, as it is called in Ayurveda. The food you eat, the exercise you take, the sleep you need, and the type of climate you live in must all be suited to your constitution.

A daily routine is essential for maintaining good health and elevating our body, mind and one’s consciousness to a higher level of functioning. This not only helps to maintain our good health and act as a preventative. These routines help to correct ailments one suffers from at the root level. These routines will help to fix the root cause and bring the bodily intelligence back, rejuvenate all the tissues affected by that ailment.

We must remember that whatever we are doing has doshic characteristics and, according to Ayurveda, routine plays a key role in health. It’s important to start the day in a way that complements our doshic constitution. 

However, there are certain daily rituals that we should all practise.

All these principles if given serious thought have a very deep and authentic reasoning. As we know the time is moving and so are the bodily forces.  There is a definite relation between time and these forces. Either it is day or night time, winter or summer season time or sun and moon time and all these have a definite effect on our body. Once we understand this, we can see the rationale behind this daily routine

Wake up time

The time of day and night play a vital role in one’s wellbeing. It is always wise to rise early because the last third of the night is governed by Vata intelligence and Vata type sleep is characterised by vivid dreams and prevents full rest.  If one wakes up and meditates at this time, disturbance to the mind is minimised.  Also, Prana is more easily controlled during such periods and greater spiritual advancement can be achieved.

Vata, with its quality of movement, encourages excretion when it is balanced, and evacuation of the bladder and bowels easier at this time of day. As urine and stool are two natural wastes and timely expulsion of these helps to cleanse the bodily system naturally.

Some diseases originate at the junction of the Doshas and sunrise is the junction of Vata and Kapha periods.  Arising and moving about at this time helps prevent an increase of Kapha in both the body and mind.  One always feels light, alert and fresh when awaking early, and dull, heavy, slow and lethargic if wakening late in Kapha time, and these qualities remain throughout the day no matter how good exercise actually one does.

One of the most important benefits of waking up during Vata intelligence is to provide more oxygen to the body and mind naturally. As Vata intelligence directs the breath, all inhalation and exhalation as well. Vata intelligence also dominates in the environment all that time one can take more fresh air and revitalise the bodily cells. Waking up early also promotes the mind to be more clearer, calm and alert.

The best time to wake up is between 4.30 – 5.30 am but those who cannot do this must try to be up by at least 6.30am.