Anyone familiar with Ayurveda’s Dinacharya knows that it takes the Ayurvedic clock into account and incorporates practices such as Abhyanga, Nasya, appropriate meal timing, movement, pranayama, meditation, and sleep.
But when you look at everything Ayurveda recommends, it can feel overwhelming.
Where do you begin?
What should you add first?
How often should you do a particular therapy?
And how do you fit all of this into a normal, busy life?
So I thought I would share my own routine — not as a prescription, but as an example of how I incorporate Ayurvedic principles into my everyday life.
Before I do that, there is something important I want to say.
I have experienced this myself, and I see it with my patients: when someone is already struggling with a health issue, following a highly regimented Dinacharya can be a big ask.
Imagine waking up with excruciating pain, severe depression, or even something as simple as persistent constipation. For someone who is already struggling, following a long list of morning rituals may simply not be realistic.
That doesn’t mean they can’t begin.
They can start with one therapy. They can begin cleaning up their diet. They can establish a better sleep rhythm, incorporate a simple breathing practice, or use herbs when appropriate.
As the body begins to get healthier, following a more complete routine becomes easier.
And yes, there will always be someone who can follow Dinacharya almost to the letter. For many people, aligning with the Ayurvedic clock and creating regular rhythms can make a remarkable difference.
But Ayurveda should not become another source of stress.
The routine should support your life — not become another burden.
With that in mind, here is what my own Dinacharya looks like.
My Morning
I generally wake between 5 and 7 a.m., depending on how well I slept and what time I went to bed.
I normally sleep around 10 p.m., although sometimes that stretches to 11 p.m. Real life happens — deadlines, socializing, and everything else that comes with it. So, I try to stay within a reasonable rhythm rather than aiming for perfection.
After attending to the call of nature, brushing my teeth, and cleaning my tongue, I do Gandusha with an Ayurvedic herbal oil – Aremadadi tailam. I hold the oil in my mouth for 2-3 minutes before spitting it out. I then splash my eyes with water. If I wake before sunrise, I try to get some early morning sunlight.
I then have my herbal ghee with warm water – the ghee may vary from tiktakam ghee to indukantham ghee depending on what I want to achieve, followed by CCF tea — cumin, coriander, and fennel — with a pinch of dry ginger.
If I’ve woken around 5 a.m., I may meditate in bed. Otherwise, I practice pranayama — usually Nadi Shodhan, Kapaal Bhaati and Brahmari.
Then comes yoga.
The order isn’t always the same. Sometimes yoga comes first, followed by pranayama and meditation. Sometimes meditation comes first.
Dinacharya gives me a framework, not a rigid timetable.
If I’m not very hungry, I may go for a 40-minute walk before breakfast. If I’m hungry, I’ll have breakfast first and walk afterward, as long as the weather isn’t excessively hot or cold.
Once a week, I use Anjana — Elaneer Kuzhambu — as part of my eye-care routine, particularly to help manage the Kapha-Vata component that can manifest during the Vata stage of life.
After my shower, usually sometime between 7 and 9 a.m., I practice Nasya with two drops of Anu Taila.
Because I am now in the Vata stage of life, I also incorporate Karna purana into my routine. I put 1–2 drops of Anu Taila in my ears once or twice a week, and have a more complete Karna purana done – ideally once a month though it’s more like once in six months.
Abhyanga, the Ayurvedic oil massage, is another practice I try to incorporate regularly, especially because I am in the Vata stage of life.
In winter, I do a self-Abhyanga almost every day. About half an hour before my shower, I apply warm Ayurvedic oil like Dhanwantarm or Sahacharadi tailams and massage it into my body before bathing.
Once a week, I also go to my therapist for a more thorough Abhyanga.
In summer, I generally use less oil and may not do it every day, but I still try to have an Abhyanga at least once a week. Depending on how dry or Vata-aggravated I feel, I may do it on alternate days as well.
Again, it isn’t about following a rule perfectly.
I adjust the practice according to the season and what my body seems to need.
Food Through the Day
Breakfast is always before 9 a.m. Mine is usually something warm and nourishing — lightly buttered whole-wheat or multigrain toast, sautéed mung sprouts with onion, tomato and coriander, avocado, and very diluted black tea with a little milk.
Around 10–11 a.m., I have buttermilk — chaas — with cumin powder, curry leaves, and pink Himalayan salt.
I may have fruit around this time as well, depending on my hunger — anything from apple and pomegranate to papaya or banana.
Lunch is usually around 12–12:30 p.m.
I aim for a combination of some sort of protein – lentils, chicken or fish, cooked vegetables, and some sort of carbohydrates — rice or roti — and sometimes some leftover chaas.
If I’ve eaten something particularly heavy, such as red kidney beans, I may add a little Hingvastak Churna to the first bite of the meal. Rajma is nutritious, but it can also be heavy and difficult to digest for some people. When my digestion isn’t at its strongest, I may use this traditional Ayurvedic digestive preparation to support digestion.
Around 3 p.m., I may have fruit, especially if it happens to be mango season.
At around 4 p.m., I’ll have tea with a small snack — perhaps a piece of dhokla or sometimes indulge in cheese toast. And if I’m very hungry, I may even have an egg.
Dinner is generally around 7–8 p.m.
It may be khichdi, soup with grilled chicken, or vegetables with another light protein.
But again, real life happens.
If I’ve gone out for dinner and eaten something particularly heavy or eaten late, I adjust accordingly.
I will have dry ginger tea afterward. If there is bloating, I may add fennel. If I feel uneasy or my digestion feels disturbed, I may use Dashamoola Jeerakarishta or Hingvastak Churna to support digestion.
If I’ve had very spicy or rich food and experience acidity, I may use an appropriate Ayurvedic digestive preparation, such as Avipattikara Churna or Shankha Vati, depending on what I’m experiencing.
If I have had several days of particularly heavy meals in a row, I may do a small Ama Pachana protocol for three to four days. I may use a Kashayams such as Guduchyadi or Gandharvahastadi, depending on the Dosha imbalance I am experiencing and the digestive symptoms that accompany it.
These aren’t things I take automatically every night. I use them according to what my digestion is telling me.
After all, eating out, socializing, and enjoying good food are part of life. Sometimes there is simply a little price to pay for that indulgence — and Ayurveda gives me ways to help my digestion recover and get back into balance.
I do try to be mindful, but sometimes, especially when traveling, you simply don’t have complete control over what or when you eat. And that’s when I find these Ayurvedic practices particularly helpful.
On the other hand, if I’ve eaten lightly and genuinely feel hungry later, I don’t simply ignore that signal. I may have a small bowl of warm sooji porridge cooked in A2 milk.
Before Bed
Whenever I can, I try to read a few pages of a book before sleeping, though more often than I would like to admit, I end up finishing some work on the computer instead. Definitely not an ideal habit!
If I am particularly stressed about something, I may take a few minutes before bed to meditate and practice Bhramari Pranayama, allowing the breath and vibration of the practice to help settle the mind.
If I am not stressed, I don’t force myself to complete another practice just because it is on the list.
Sometimes, I simply sleep.
And whenever I can find half an hour during the day, I practice Yoga Nidra.
So, Is This Dinacharya Perfect?
Absolutely not.
And that’s actually the point.
My routine changes depending on my schedule, my sleep, the season, how I am feeling, and what my body needs.
Dinacharya is not about creating a perfect checklist and then feeling guilty when you don’t complete it.
It is about creating rhythm and awareness.
When you begin to understand the Ayurvedic clock, your own constitution, your current state of balance, your digestion, and what your body is telling you, these practices begin to make sense.
You don’t have to do everything.
Start with one thing.
Let it become part of your day.
Then add another.
Over time, these small practices begin to take care of different parts of you — your senses, your digestion, your body, your breath, your mind, and ultimately your connection with the rhythms of nature.
That, to me, is the beauty of Dinacharya.
