A daily routine is absolutely necessary to bring radical change in body, mind, and consciousness. Routine helps to establish balance in one's constitution. It also regularizes a person's biological clock, aids digestion, absorption and assimilation, and generates self-esteem, discipline, peace, happiness, and longevity.

• Get up early in the morning

  Everyone should rise around 5.00 am. A very healthy option is to go for a morning walk. By doing so, you will feel fresh the whole day. You gain greater freshness, strength, and inclination for work. Those who have any sickness can sleep more. It is said "Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."

  Brahmamuhurta

  It is the morning period between 3.30 a.m. and 5.30 a.m. It is suitable for meditation. After a good night's sleep, the mind is refreshed, calm and serene. Yogis believe that during this pre-dawn period, the aspect of Brahma is prevalent in the atmosphere. As a result, the entire atmosphere is charged with powerful electromagnetic vibrations that travel in a north-south direction.

• Elimination

  The second important daily routine is to evacuate the bowels and bladder. Evacuation first thing in the morning is preferable. Natural evacuation of the bowels without any laxative or any other intake is always desirable. Drinking a glass or two of warm water helps in the elimination.

• Cleaning of senses

  Wash the eyes with water. Brush the teeth and scrape the tongue with a tongue cleaner to purify your mouth and the taste buds.

• Abhyanga – Apply oil to head and body

  There is no greater expression of self-love than lovingly anointing ourselves from head to toe with warm oil—this practice is called Abyanga. The Sanskrit word Sneha can be translated as both “oil” and “love.” It is believed that the effects of Abhyanga are similar to those received when one is saturated with love. Like the experience of being loved, Abhyanga can give a deep feeling of stability and warmth. A daily Abyanga practice restores the balance of the doshas and enhances well-being and longevity.

• Bath

  Bathing is cleansing and refreshing. It removes sweat, dirt, and fatigue, brings energy to the body, clarity to the mind.

• Yoga

  Early morning Yoga removes stagnation in the body and mind, strengthens the digestive fire, reduces fat and gives you an overall feeling of lightness and joy as it fills your body with good, fresh and pure Prana. It is not to be strenuous. Pranayama helps calm the mind and induces slow respirations, which support quieting of the mind for ‘Dhyana’ or contemplation.

• Lunch

  Ayurveda recommends that the lunch should be the largest meal of the day consisting of wholesome food with all the six tastes. After the meal it is good to take a little walk, a couple hundred steps only, to help the food digest.

• Dinner

  Evening meals should be taken between 6:30 and 8:30 PM. Dinner should be always lighter than lunch. Due to night being a period for sleep and rest, circulation and digestion are a little dull. The possibility for indigestion and ama production is greater if the load on gastric fire is excessive. Hence the advice to take a light meal in the evenings. Yoghurt should be avoided at night.

  You should ideally go for an evening walk after dinner, then relax with family and read or rest.

• Bedtime

  Early to Bed. It is desirable to go bed early in the evening and sleep soundly until early morning. The latest you should retire is between 10:00 P.M.

  One should try to keep the routine as close to the recommended Dincharya as possible. The body might resist the change for a first few days but if you do manage to persist then you are bound to get rewarded with a much healthier and satisfying life.