Evening routine for Vata

Your Evening Routine

Where vata is concerned, getting adequate rest is exquisitely important, so focusing on your evening habits is always a useful starting point. And in truth, a successful daily routine begins the night before. Choosing to be intentional about the flow of your evening ensures that you are grounded at the end of your day, that you get enough rest, and that you sleep as soundly as possible.

Create an Evening Self-Care Ritual

A sense of routine can be built around even the most mundane aspects of the day. What makes a routine distinct is that we do it consistently and use it as a means of reminding our bodies that all is well, that we are safe, and that we can relax. To this end, take a few minutes to pamper yourself before bed. Doing so has the potential to bolster your sense of well-being, and will likely improve the quality of your sleep as well.

Your evening ritual need not be complicated. In fact, it will most likely consist of hygiene and self-care practices that are already quite familiar to you. Still, the more you can embrace a sense of ritual, and infuse it with nurturing self-love, the better. Be mindful of keeping your ritual simple and doable—especially at first—and follow your own inner guidance around what to include. Consider any or all of the following, alongside any additions that would feel luxurious and relaxing to you:

• Take triphala. About half an hour before bed, take 2 Triphala tablets to nourish and rejuvenate the tissues, support the body’s natural detoxification mechanisms, and to encourage proper digestion and elimination.
• Brush your teeth. Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of good oral hygiene, which Western medicine has firmly linked to our overall health.
• Floss your teeth. Evening is a great time for this daily oral hygiene essential.
• Wash your face. Make this an act of love and devotion to yourself.
• Apply moisturizer to your face, body, or both. Remember not to rush through your practices, but to do them with deep reverence.
• Massage your feet, scalp, or both with oil. This Ayurvedic practice helps to calm the mind and ground the energy before sleep. You may use the herbal oil included in your bundle recommendation.
• Practice Bhramari Pranayama. This yogic breathing practice helps to soothe the mind, calm the nervous system, and is very supportive of sound sleep. Even five minutes can have a tangible impact.

Honor Your Bedtime

Next, choose a bedtime and stick with it as best you can. Remember, receiving adequate rest is deeply rejuvenating and vata-pacifying. If you have an intention to awaken at a certain time each day, it can be helpful to work backwards from then (based on how much sleep you need in order to feel fully rested) to establish an appropriate bedtime. We recommend that you budget a minimum of seven hours for sleep, preferably eight or more, and you may find that you sleep more soundly if you retire by or before 10 p.m.

If you tend to have trouble sleeping, you will find additional resources and suggestions in our guide to Balancing Insufficient Sleep.

Source: Banyan Botanicals