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Imagine finishing your day with the same energy you started your day with…
Imagine going through your day without cravings for sweets, coffee or chips…
Imagine waking up early without an alarm refreshed and ready to go…
Imagine feeling like your life is not a struggle – like the wind is at your back and you are swimming downstream in the river of life!
In life, we can go with or against the current of nature’s natural rhythms. Our diurnal rhythms and hormonal fluctuations are tied to the natural cycles and, when these are all in sync with each other, life seems a lot easier – like swimming downstream instead of upstream.
According to Ayurveda, the stress of living against these natural cycles is a fundamental violation of healthy living. Emerging science suggests that each cycle of the day as described in Ayurveda supports different activities. Living in sync with nature’s cycles is a powerful lifestyle tool to de-stress the body and mind and begin to enjoy life.
The Ayurvedic Clock – Living Downstream
In nature, there are two 12-hour cycles that are each divided into three smaller cycles. Each 4-hour cycle is linked to certain bodily functions governed by vata (air), which controls the nervous system, pitta (fire), which controls digestion and metabolism, and kapha (earth and water), which controls immunity and structural strength. Understanding how to connect a daily routine to these cycles is powerful medicine in Ayurveda.
First 12 Hours of the Day: 6am-6pm
6am – 10am – Kapha increases. This is the best time for exercise and physical labor before the sun is giving its peak heat. Kapha is heavy and supports greater physical strength.
10am – 2pm – Pitta increases. This is the best time of the day to eat your biggest meal, as the pitta or digestive fire is the strongest in the middle of the day.
2pm – 6pm – Vata increases. This is the best time for mental and creative energy, as the nervous system is more active. Craving sweets at this time indicates exhaustion, blood sugar issues, poor digestion or that you didn’t eat a sufficient lunch.
Second 12 Hours of the Day: 6pm-6am
6pm – 10pm – Kapha increases. This is the best time to begin settling down for sleep. Kapha is heavy, and with cortisol levels dropping at this time, you should be getting sleepy!
10pm – 2am – Pitta increases. This is the best time to be sleeping. The liver (pitta) engages in detox at this time (like a janitor cleaning floors and windows). If you are constantly up and awake during this time, the detox can be disturbed.
2am – 6am – Vata increases. The nervous system begins to stir during this time before the sun rises. This is the best time to sleep deeply and naturally wake up before the sunrise.
Conclusion
Understanding how we have lost our connection to nature is the first step in restoring optimal health. Connect your cellular clocks (we have about 100 trillion of them) with the natural ebb and flow of nature’s cycles, and you will live a life of balance and vitality.
Margaret says
July 19, 2018 at 7:37 amHow does Daylight Savings Time affect the Ayurvedic time clock?
racing rivals triche says
May 31, 2016 at 2:09 pmYou’re so awesome! I do not believe I’ve truly read through a single thing like that before.
So wonderful to find somebody with original thoughts on this subject.
Really.. many thanks for starting this up. This web site is
one thing that’s needed on the internet, someone with some originality!
Marjie says
July 25, 2015 at 7:46 amI am at my best in the morning. But, 3:00 pm I am super tired. So I was thinking that is from the cave man days when our ancestors rose early to gather roots,nuts and berries, while then men hunted. So my time clock I thought was due to the cave man ancestors. So to counter my tiredness I have a cup of coffee to get me through or if I can take a quick nap. I hit the sack at 10:00 pm like clock work though. My issue is tiredness always since battled breast cancer for 8 years now. Dr.Douilllards diet suggestions have cured my hubby and I both ! Now I am dealing with a closed upper air way in my lung. I am walking and rowing a kayak for exercise but sometimes I do too much for my body then I am so burnt out it is a big issue trying to be normal is a challenge. Plus I have IBS issues which this site helps a lot so that’s the cherry on top of all this mess.
Lu Ellen says
July 18, 2015 at 9:22 amThank you so much. The more I read and learn, the more I’m truly starting to understand!
Bianca says
July 12, 2015 at 7:40 amBut what about for us night-owls? I haven’t been able to get to sleep until at least after midnight since I was 14! I have since said that my body-clock is different to most others and so this world should be making way for people like me. I sometimes even sleep from 7am-3pm… and today I slept in until 5pm for example! My body-clock is completely opposite to what you are saying, yet I’ve been eating healthy & organic foods for the past 4 years, I do not ever see myself being a ‘morning person’. NOT EVER :/
I’ve even tried herbal capsules, teas, aromatherapy and meditation! All did not work for me unfortunately.
Unless you have some really good suggestions (other than ‘try going to sleep an hour early every night’, because that’s what my mother’s been saying for years but her saying that just makes it worse!)
Bianca
John Douillard says
July 14, 2015 at 11:45 amHi Bianca,
There are many ways to reset our circadian clocks. It is a new branch of medicine called Circadian Medicine that is said to revolutionize modern medicine according to many researchers. I have written a ton on this – hopefully the articles will shed some light on this for you. https://lifespa.com/?s=clock
I was a night person for a good part of my life and I get that it is so hard to think about being a morning person which is not the actual goal by the way. But there are many things to do to help you reset some connection between your clocks and the circadian rhythms of nature.
If you like we can have a consult and I can dig in with you.
Otherwise please read up on it on my site.
Be well,
John
Lisa B. says
October 16, 2015 at 11:04 amAlso, stop saying you’re not a morning person, or may never be! This only makes it harder to change. You must say to yourself (and everyone else) “I am a morning person”. The universe tends to response to our wishes.
I assume you have an overnight job, then at least you’re working with what you’ve got.
Suzy Morris says
March 13, 2015 at 8:28 amI follow you religously and wanted to take a moment today to tell you how extrememly grateful I am for all that you share with us! Sending Love and endless blessings to you all! Suzy
Anna says
January 4, 2018 at 6:39 pmI also follow and l’m very grateful for all you share😊
Thank you very much Dr.John😊
Anna(Belgium)