AUTUMN SEASON (SHARAD RITU)

IDEAL DAILY REGIMEN TO BE HEALTHY

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Morning Regimen (Things to Do)

• Wake up early, ideally 4:30–5:00 AM, before sunrise

• Drink 1–3 glasses of warm water (stored overnight in a copper vessel)

• Evacuate bowels regularly and wash hands, feet, and face

• Danta Dhavana – Brushing teeth using Neem, Babool, Khadir, Pilu (Meswak)

• Jihva Nirlekhana – Tongue scraping

• Gandusha / Kavala – Gargling or mouth rinsing with medicated water

• Nasya – 2 drops of medicated oil in each nostril

• Exercise (Vyayama) – According to season and strength

• Self body massage (Abhyanga) with oil followed by powder massage (as per season)

• Bathing and grooming

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Night Regimen (Ratricharya)

• Take supper within 3 hours after sunset (around 8:00 PM)

• Go to bed 2 hours after supper, ideally by 10:00 PM

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Dietary Guidelines

• Eat food that is:

  • Warm

  • Fresh

  • Light to digest

  • Taken in proper quantity

  • Selected according to Agni (digestive capacity)

• Consume a balanced diet containing all six tastes (Shadrasa)

• Avoid:

  • Eating too fast

  • Eating too slowly

  • Incompatible food combinations

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Seasonal Regimen – Autumn Season (Sharad Ritu)

Diet Modifications

• Foods with Madhura (sweet) and Tikta (bitter) taste are advised

• Prefer foods that are light to digest

• Recommended foods:

  • Old rice

  • Wheat

  • Green gram

  • Sugar candy (Mishri)

  • Honey

  • Patola (Trichosanthes dioica)

• Avoid foods that are:

  • Acidic

  • Salty

  • Pungent

  • Oily

  • Meat of aquatic animals

• Avoid:

  • Curd

  • Excessively spicy foods

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Lifestyle Modifications

• Application of Chandana (Sandalwood) paste over the body is recommended

• Moonlight walk during evening or night is beneficial

• Avoid:

  • Excessive exposure to sunlight

  • Daytime sleep (Divaswapna)

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Seasonal Note

The period from mid-September to mid-November is considered Sharad Ritu (Autumn Season).
During this season:

• The sun becomes brighter

• The sky remains clear, sometimes with white clouds

• Pitta Dosha is predominant

• Predominant Rasa is Lavana (salty)

• Predominant Mahabhuta are Apa and Agni

RAINY SEASON (VARSHA RITU)

IDEAL DAILY REGIMEN TO BE HEALTHY

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Morning Regimen (Things to Do)

• Wake up early, ideally 4:30–5:00 AM, before sunrise

• Drink 1–3 glasses of warm water (stored overnight in a copper vessel)

• Evacuate bowels regularly and wash hands, feet, and face

• Danta Dhavana – Brushing teeth using Neem, Babool, Khadir, Pilu (Meswak)

• Jihva Nirlekhana – Tongue scraping

• Gandusha / Kavala – Gargling or mouth rinsing with medicated water

• Nasya – 2 drops of medicated oil in each nostril

• Exercise (Vyayama) – According to season and physical strength

• Self body massage (Abhyanga) with oil followed by powder massage (as per season)

• Bathing and grooming

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Night Regimen (Ratricharya)

• Take supper within 3 hours after sunset (around 8:00 PM)

• Go to bed 2 hours after supper, ideally by 10:00 PM

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Dietary Guidelines

• Food should be:

  • Warm

  • Freshly prepared

  • Light to digest

  • Taken in proper quantity

  • Selected according to Agni (digestive power)

• Consume a balanced diet containing all six tastes (Shadrasa)

• Avoid:

  • Eating too fast

  • Eating too slowly

  • Incompatible food combinations

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Seasonal Regimen – Rainy Season (Varsha Ritu)

Diet Modifications

• Prefer easily digestible foods

• Recommended cereals and pulses:

  • Old barley

  • Wheat

  • Rice

  • Among pulses, lentil (Masura) and green gram (Mudga) are preferred

• Honey may be included in the diet

• Avoid foods that are:

  • Heavy to digest

  • Viscous

  • Cold

  • Excessively sweet or sour

• Avoid:

  • New grains

  • Curd

  • Cold drinks

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Lifestyle Modifications

• Mild exercise is recommended

• Powder massage (Udvartana) is preferred

• Avoid:

  • Exposure to excessive moisture

  • Getting drenched in rain

  • Sleeping during daytime (Divaswapna)

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Seasonal Note

Mid-July to mid-September is considered Varsha Ritu (Rainy Season).
It is the monsoon season, during which Vata Dosha gets aggravated and digestive fire (Agni) becomes weak.
The solstice known as Dakshinayana marks the beginning of Varsha Ritu.
The Hindu lunar months Shravana and Bhadrapada (Sawan and Bhado) fall during this season.

SUMMER SEASON (GRISHMA RITU)

IDEAL DAILY REGIMEN TO BE HEALTHY

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Morning Regimen (Things to Do)

• Wake up early, ideally 4:30–5:00 AM, before sunrise

• Drink 1–3 glasses of water (preferably stored overnight in a copper vessel)

• Evacuate bowels regularly and wash hands, feet, and face

• Danta Dhavana – Brushing teeth using Neem, Babool, Khadir, Pilu (Meswak)

• Jihva Nirlekhana – Tongue scraping

• Gandusha / Kavala – Gargling or mouth rinsing with medicated water

• Nasya – 2 drops of medicated oil in each nostril

• Exercise (Vyayama) – According to season and physical capacity

• Self body massage (Abhyanga) with oil, followed by powder massage (as per season)

• Bathing and grooming

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Night Regimen (Ratricharya)

• Take supper within 3 hours after sunset (around 8:00 PM)

• Go to bed 2 hours after supper, ideally by 10:00 PM

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Dietary Guidelines

• Food should be:

  • Light to digest

  • Taken warm or at room temperature

  • Consumed regularly and in proper quantity

  • Selected based on Agni (digestive strength)

• Include a balanced diet containing all six tastes (Shadrasa)

• Avoid:

  • Very fast eating

  • Very slow eating

  • Incompatible food combinations

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Seasonal Regimen – Summer Season (Grishma Ritu)

Diet Modifications

• Prefer:

  • Light, sweet, unctuous, cold, and liquid foods

• Recommended foods:

  • Butter milk

  • Fruit juices

  • Meat soups (light)

  • Mango juice

  • Churned curd with pepper

• Avoid:

  • Salty foods

  • Pungent and sour foods

  • Alcohol

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Lifestyle Modifications

• Avoid:

  • Excessive exercise

  • Hard physical work

• Prefer:

  • Staying in cool places

  • Cold water bath

  • Night application of sandalwood and other aromatic pastes

  • Body anointing with cooling substances

  • Wearing light, airy, and comfortable clothing

• Daytime sleep (Divaswapna) is beneficial during summer

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Seasonal Note

Mid-May to mid-July is considered Grishma Ritu (Summer Season).
In Ayurveda, this season is characterized by depletion of strength (Bala) due to intense heat.
Grishma Ritu ends on the summer solstice, which is the longest day of the year in India and marks the peak of Uttarayana.

SPRING SEASON (VASANTA RITU)

IDEAL DAILY REGIMEN TO BE HEALTHY

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Morning Regimen (Things to Do)

• Wake up early, ideally 4:30–5:00 AM, before sunrise

• Drink 1–3 glasses of warm water (stored overnight in a copper vessel)

• Evacuate bowels regularly and wash hands, feet, and face

• Danta Dhavana – Brushing teeth using Neem, Babool, Khadir, Pilu (Meswak)

• Jihva Nirlekhana – Tongue scraping

• Gandusha / Kavala – Gargling or mouth rinsing with medicated water

• Nasya – 2 drops of medicated oil in each nostril

• Exercise (Vyayama) – According to season and strength

• Self body massage with oil followed by powder massage (as per season)

• Bathing and grooming

---

Night Regimen (Ratricharya)

• Take supper within 3 hours after sunset (around 8:00 PM)

• Go to bed 2 hours after supper, ideally by 10:00 PM

---

Dietary Guidelines

• Eat food that is:

  • Warm

  • Light

  • Regular

  • Taken in the right quantity

  • Based on Agni (digestive capacity)

• Consume balanced food containing all six tastes (Shadrasa)

• Avoid:

  • Eating too fast

  • Eating too slowly

  • Incompatible food combinations

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Seasonal Regimen – Spring Season (Vasanta Ritu)

Diet Modifications

• Prefer easily digestible foods

• Intake of:

  • Green leafy vegetables

  • Newly harvested rice

  • Among pulses, green gram (Mudga) is preferred

• Honey may be included in the diet

• Avoid foods that are:

  • Heavy to digest

  • Viscous

  • Cold

  • Excessively sweet or sour

• Avoid:

  • New grains

  • Curd

  • Cold drinks

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Lifestyle Modifications

• Moderate exercise is recommended

• Powder massage (Udvartana) is preferred

• Daytime sleep (Divaswapna) is not advisable

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Seasonal Note

Mid-March to mid-May is considered Vasanta Ritu (Spring Season).
It marks the beginning of spring in India and occurs when the sun is in the midpoint of Uttarayana.
This season is characterized by liquefaction of accumulated Kapha, making Kapha-pacifying regimens essential.

Late Winter – Shishira Ritu

DEAL DAILY REGIMEN TO BE HEALTHY

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Morning Regimen (Things to Do)

• Wake up early, ideally 4:30–5:00 AM, before sunrise

• Drink 1–3 glasses of warm water (stored overnight in a copper vessel)

• Ensure regular bowel evacuation

• Wash hands, feet, and face

• Danta Dhavana – Brushing teeth using Neem, Babool, Khadir, Pilu

• Jihva Nirlekhana – Tongue scraping

• Gandusha / Kavala – Gargling or mouth rinsing with medicated water

• Nasya – 2 drops of medicated oil in each nostril

• Exercise (Vyayama) – As per season and capacity

• Abhyanga – Self body massage with oil followed by powder massage (as per season)

• Bathing and grooming

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Night Regimen (Ratricharya)

• Take supper within 3 hours after sunset (around 7:30–8:00 PM)

• Bedtime: 2 hours after supper, ideally by 10:00 PM

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Dietary Guidelines

• Eat food that is:

  • Warm

  • Light

  • Regular

  • In proper quantity

  • Based on Agni (digestive fire)

• Consume balanced food containing all six tastes (Rasa)

• Avoid:

  • Very fast eating

  • Very slow eating

  • Incompatible food combinations

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Seasonal Regimen – Late Winter (Shishira Ritu)

Diet Modifications

• Increased intake of:

  • Cereals and pulses

  • Wheat and gram flour products

  • Newly harvested rice

  • Unctuous foods

• Include:

  • Ginger, Garlic, Haritaki (Terminalia chebula), Pippali (Piper longum)

  • Sugarcane products

  • Milk and milk products

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Lifestyle Modifications

• Oil massage and powder massage

• Bathing with lukewarm water

• Exposure to mild sunlight

• Wearing warm clothes

• Heavy exercise is preferred until sweating appears on the forehead

• Avoid:

  • Cold wind exposure

  • Excessive walking

  • Sleeping during daytime

  • Staying awake late at night

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Seasonal Note

Mid-January to mid-March is considered Shishira Ritu (Late Winter).
It is the first season of Uttarayana, when the sun starts moving northward.

Herbs Useful in Daily Regimen along with their Properties

 

S. No.	Name of the Drug (Botanical Name)	Rasa	Guna	Veerya	Vipaka	Karma	Action
1	Vata (Ficus benghalensis L.)	Kashaya	Guru, Ruksha	Sheeta	Katu	Varnya, Grahi, Yoni Vishodhana	Wound healing, antiseptic, antibacterial, Kapha-Pitta Nashana
2	Udumbar (Ficus racemosa L.)	Madhura, Kashaya	Guru, Ruksha	Sheeta	Katu	Varnya, Vrana Shodhana, Ropana	Wound healing, antiseptic, antibacterial
3	Plaksha (Ficus lacor Buch.-Ham.)	Kashaya	Guru, Ruksha	Sheeta	Katu	Varnya, Yoni Vishodhana	Wound healing, antiseptic, antibacterial
4	Peepal / Ashwatha (Ficus religiosa L.)	Kashaya	Guru, Ruksha	Sheeta	Katu	Varnya, Yoni Vishodhana	Wound healing, antiseptic, antibacterial
5	Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.)	Kashaya, Madhura	Guru, Snigdha	Sheeta	Madhura	Deepana, Shukrala, Basti Shodhaka	Useful in burns, rashes, wounds
6	Til (Sesame) (Sesamum indicum L.)	Katu, Tikta, Madhura	Guru, Snigdha	Ushna	Katu	Grahi, Tvachya, Keshya, Shukrala	Skin nourishment
7	Mudga (Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek)	Madhura	Laghu, Ruksha	Sheeta	Madhura	Grahi, Netrya	Antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic
8	Kulatha (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.)	Kashaya	Laghu, Sara	Ushna	Katu	Swedajanana, Krimighna, Ashmarihara	Antioxidant, free-radical scavenger
9	Chandana (Santalum album L.)	Tikta	Laghu, Ruksha	Sheeta	Katu	Pittanashana, Shoshana	Useful in weakness, fever, UTI, inflammation
10	Aadraka (Ginger) (Zingiber officinale Roscoe)	Katu	Guru, Tikshna	Ushna	Madhura	Deepana, Bhedana, Kapha-Vatanashana	Anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic
11	Dadima (Pomegranate) (Punica granatum L.)	Madhura, Kashaya	Laghu, Snigdha	Sheeta	Madhura	Deepana, Rochana, Grahi, Tridoshaghna	Antimicrobial, rich in Vitamin-C
12	Banana (Musa sapientum L.)	Madhura	Guru, Snigdha	Sheeta	Madhura	Brimhana, Vrishya, Vatanashaka	Useful in general weakness
13	Cucumber / Trapusa (Cucumis sativus L.)	Madhura	Laghu	Sheeta	Madhura	Klamanashaka, Tridoshanashana	Diuretic, antidiabetic
14	Triphala (Amalaki, Haritaki, Bibhitaki)	—	—	—	—	Deepana, Chakshushya, Kapha-Pittanashana	Antibiotic, anti-inflammatory
15	Panchavalkala (Vata, Udumbar, Peepal, Parisha, Plaksha)	Kashaya	Laghu, Ruksha	Sheeta	Katu	Vrana Ropana	Wound healing
16	Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.)	Tikta	Laghu, Snigdha	Ushna	Katu	Vranya, Krimighna	Antibacterial, antifungal
17	Babool (Acacia nilotica (L.) Delile)	Kashaya	Guru, Ruksha	Sheeta	Katu	Grahi, Krimighna	Antibacterial, Kaphanashaka
18	Khadira (Acacia catechu (L.f.) Willd.)	Tikta, Kashaya	Laghu, Ruksha	Sheeta	Katu	Dantya, Kandughna, Krimighna	Antimicrobial
19	Pilu (Salvadora persica L.)	Madhura, Tikta	Laghu, Snigdha	Anati-Ushna	Katu	Bhedana, Tridoshanashana	Antibacterial, analgesic, diuretic
20	Jeeraka (Cumin) (Cuminum cyminum L.)	Katu	Laghu, Ruksha	Ushna	Katu	Grahi, Deepana, Medhya	Useful in diarrhea, colic, bowel spasms
21	Padmaka (Prunus puddum)	Kashaya, Tikta	Laghu

Ayurvedic Sleep Practices

PADABHYANGA (FOOT MASSAGE)

Padabhyanga (foot massage) occupies a very important position in Dinacharya (daily regimen). It should be practiced daily, especially before going to bed at night. Padabhyanga helps in reducing stress and anxiety and helps maintain good eyesight and hearing. In addition, it promotes foot health and supports quality sleep.

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SLEEP AT NIGHT (NIDRA)

For a healthy individual, sleep naturally occurs during the night and at a regular time each day. Therefore, in Ayurveda, sleep is described as Ratrisvabhava Prabhava (naturally occurring at night). It is advised to sleep between 10:00 PM and 4:30–5:00 AM.

Practices such as drinking warm milk at night, foot massage, head massage with oil, and relaxation techniques help reduce stress and promote sound sleep. These practices are also beneficial for maintaining healthy eyes.

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RESEARCH EVIDENCE

• A minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night on a regular basis is recommended to promote optimal health among adults aged 18 to 60 years.

• Individual sleep requirements vary and are influenced by genetic, behavioral, medical, and environmental factors.

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PRACTICES FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION

Codes of Conduct (Sadvritta) and Regimental Rejuvenation (Achara Rasayana)

An individual should follow ethical practices such as non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, non-covetousness, and purity of speech, actions, and thoughts. Control of mental factors such as anger, greed, attachment, ego, jealousy, and abusive speech is essential for mental well-being.

One should abstain from alcohol, smoking, and other narcotics, as well as excessive sexual indulgence, as these negatively affect mental health. Helping people in need, serving in old-age homes and shelter homes, and practicing yogic techniques such as Pranayama and meditation contribute to mental peace and social harmony.