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Dinacharya is the Ayurvedic day: small, regular habits from waking to sleep. Ritucharya adjusts food and routine to each of India’s six seasons.
✓ Content reviewed by Dr Suguna Sapre, Suphala Care
This is the traditional Ayurvedic routine, described as tradition teaches it, for education. Adapt timings to your life and health; if you have a medical condition, follow your doctor’s advice first.
From Dr Suguna Sapre’s book
“She woke up at 4 am, singing bhajans and abhangs of various gods and goddesses to start her day. She watered the Tulsi plant without fail … Her food was not just a healthy meal but was made with two special ingredients: love and prayers.”
4:30 – 6:00 AM
Rise before or at sunrise. The period 90 minutes before sunrise is called Brahma Muhurta — the most sattvic time for meditation, study and spiritual practice. Lie in bed for a moment, offer gratitude.
Vata: Wake with the sun (6am) — waking too early aggravates Vata
Pitta: 5:30am is ideal — enjoy the cool morning air
Kapha: Wake no later than 6am — Kapha people most benefit from early rising
6:00 – 6:15 AM
Drink 1–2 cups of warm (not cold) water stored overnight in a copper vessel. It rehydrates you after sleep and helps a regular bowel movement. (If your doctor limits your fluids, follow their advice.)
Vata: Room-temperature or slightly warm water
Pitta: Cool (not cold) or room-temp water; avoid copper in excess heat
Kapha: Warm water with a pinch of ginger to stimulate digestion
6:15 – 6:30 AM
Brush with neem or licorice twig, or herbal tooth powder. Then scrape the tongue from back to front 7–14 times with a copper or stainless tongue scraper. Tongue cleaning freshens the mouth and is a long-standing Ayurvedic habit.
Vata: Use sesame oil pulling (Kavala) for 5 min after brushing — reduces Vata dryness
Pitta: Coconut oil pulling is cooling and preferred
Kapha: Gargle with warm saltwater after brushing to reduce Kapha in throat
6:30 – 7:00 AM
Warm your preferred oil and massage from scalp to feet in long strokes on limbs and circular strokes on joints. Leave on for 15 min then shower with mild soap. Abhyanga nourishes the skin, calms the nervous system, and lubricates joints.
Vata: Daily sesame oil massage is essential — reduces dryness, anxiety and restlessness
Pitta: Coconut or sunflower oil, cooler temperature — can do 3–4x/week
Kapha: Dry brushing (Garshana) with raw silk gloves before oil is more stimulating
7:00 – 8:00 AM
Perform yoga, pranayama or exercise appropriate to your constitution. Exercise should not exceed 50% of your capacity — if you start sweating heavily and breathing from the mouth, reduce intensity. Follow with 5 min Shavasana.
Vata: Gentle yoga, walking — avoid high-intensity cardio. Ground and strengthen.
Pitta: Moderate intensity. Avoid exercising in the midday sun. Cooling practices.
Kapha: Most vigorous exercise of all doshas — running, swimming, challenging yoga.
8:00 – 8:30 AM
Bathe with water at a comfortable temperature. Cold water is traditionally recommended above the neck (stimulates mind, good for hair and eyes) and warm water for the body. Avoid very hot water on the head.
8:30 – 9:00 AM
Sit for meditation, mantra chanting or personal prayer practice. Even 10 minutes of focused breath awareness or Japa sets the tone for the entire day. Face east towards the rising sun during practice.
Vata: Ground yourself — focus on body sensations, use mala beads, chant aloud
Pitta: Compassion meditation or Sheetali pranayama to cool the competitive mind
Kapha: Energising chanting or walking meditation — avoid sedentary meditation only
9:00 AM
Eat a warm, freshly cooked breakfast mindfully. Avoid cold food, cold milk or raw food in the morning — they dampen digestive fire. Eat until 75% full. Sit quietly for 5 min after eating.
Vata: Warm porridge, khichdi, warm milk with ghee — grounding and nourishing
Pitta: Cooling foods — coconut water, pomegranate, light grains. Avoid spicy.
Kapha: Light breakfast or skip if not hungry — honey with warm water, fruits only
12:00 – 1:00 PM
This is when Pitta and digestive fire (agni) are strongest. Make this your largest meal of the day. All six tastes (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, astringent) should be represented. Rest for 10 min in Vajrasana after eating.
6:00 – 7:00 PM
Take a gentle walk at sunset — traditionally called Sandhya Kala (transitional time). Observe the sky, breathe fresh air. This is a powerful time for short meditation and mantra repetition as day transitions to night.
7:00 – 8:00 PM
Eat dinner before 8pm — light and easy to digest. Avoid heavy proteins, raw foods or cold items at night. Soups, khichdi and cooked vegetables are ideal. Leave at least 2–3 hours between dinner and sleep.
Vata: Warm, slightly heavier dinner is fine — soup with ghee
Pitta: Light, cooling dinner — salad, curd, cooling grains
Kapha: Very light dinner, or just warm herbal soup — Kapha digestion is slowest at night
9:30 – 10:00 PM
Apply warm sesame oil to the soles of the feet and scalp. Drink warm milk with turmeric (Haldi Doodh / Golden Milk). Read spiritual texts or gratitude journalling. Avoid screens after 9pm. Sleep on your left side.
Vata: Ashwagandha or Brahmi in warm milk — calms nervous system for deep sleep
Pitta: Amalaki or Shatavari in cool (not hot) milk — avoids aggravating heat
Kapha: Trikatu or ginger milk — stimulates metabolism during sleep
10:00 PM
Be asleep by 10pm — this is when the body enters Kapha time (10pm–2am) optimal for deep, anabolic sleep and tissue regeneration. Waking late into Pitta time (10pm–2am) causes the 'second wind' that disrupts sleep cycles.
Vata: Need most sleep (8–9 hrs) — use a weighted blanket and warm bedroom
Pitta: 7–8 hrs. Cooler room. White noise if needed.
Kapha: Least sleep needed (6–7 hrs). Early to bed, early to rise strictly.
Ritucharya
The season we are in now is highlighted.
Vasanta Ṛtu · March – April
Dominant dosha: Kapha
Favour: Bitter greens (neem, methi), Barley, Honey, Light grains, Ginger tea, Warm soups
Go easy on: Heavy dairy, Cold foods, Sweets, Deep-fried food, Day sleep
Herbs traditionally used: Trikatu, Triphala, Guduchi, Neem
Grīṣma Ṛtu · May – June
Dominant dosha: Pitta
Favour: Coconut water, Buttermilk (chaas), Cucumber, Watermelon, Amla, Sweet fruits, Rice, Cooling herbs
Go easy on: Very spicy food, Very sour food, Alcohol, Vigorous midday exercise, Fasting
Herbs traditionally used: Amla, Shatavari, Brahmi, Coriander, Fennel
Varṣa Ṛtu · July – September
Dominant dosha: Vata & Pitta
Favour: Old rice, Wheat, Barley, Honey, Light soups, Ginger and lemon water, Cow's ghee
Go easy on: Raw salads, River or rainwater drinking, Heavy legumes, Curd (especially at night), Day sleep, Excessive physical exertion
Herbs traditionally used: Giloy, Tulsi, Ginger, Pippali, Haritaki
Śarad Ṛtu · October – November
Dominant dosha: Pitta
Favour: Bitter, sweet, astringent tastes, Pomegranate, Grapes, Amla, Old ghee, Sugarcane juice
Go easy on: Yoghurt, Pungent and salty foods, Sesame, Alkaline foods, Day sleep
Herbs traditionally used: Amla, Brahmi, Triphala, Lodhra
Hemanta Ṛtu · December – January
Dominant dosha: Kapha accumulates; Vata active
Favour: Nourishing, heavy, sweet, sour, salty tastes, Ghee, Milk, Sesame, Sugarcane, New rice, Meat (if non-vegetarian), Dates and nuts
Go easy on: Cold, dry, light foods, Fasting, Excessive raw food
Herbs traditionally used: Ashwagandha, Shatavari, Chyawanprash
Śiśira Ṛtu · February
Dominant dosha: Vata & Kapha
Favour: Warm, oily, nourishing food, Similar to Hemanta — sesame, milk, ghee, wheat
Go easy on: Cold, dry, light food, Cold water or drinks, Fasting
Herbs traditionally used: Ashwagandha, Triphala, Pippali
Traditional guidance for education. If you have diabetes, kidney disease or another condition, or are pregnant, follow your doctor’s and dietitian’s advice first; ask before taking any herbs.