Winter Self-Care Routine : Make your dosha balanced and bright
Sometimes we don’t get over the holiday hustle, even by February. We can get stuck in the weight of winter by continuing to overeat (hello King Cake! for those in NOLA) and reduce our activity because of the colder, weather. It kind of feels like leaving the Christmas and Hanukkah decorations out past Valentine’s Day.
I want you to feel aligned with the seasons, not out-of-season. So I’ve listed self-care routines below that will help you realign yourself with the winter season, based on your Ayurvedic constitution (dosha).
Make your winter self-care routine balanced and bright.
Vata Winter Realignment
Often people with high vata tend to fill their days with constant activity and chatter. While creative and agile, people with vata dosha can accumulate stress quickly and even become flighty.
Put the electronics to bed by 8 pm, and minimize or avoid multitasking as it will disperse your energy.
Rub your body with warm oil (abhyangha) daily to ground yourself.
Sip warm water throughout the day and avoid cold or iced drinks.
Do less, rest more. Invite yourself to go to bed early - even really early, like 8 pm, if you feel depleted.
Kapha Winter Realignment
Winter is primarily kapha season, which means those with predominantly kapha dosha can be taken off balance if they slow down too much. as their earthly sense of grounding helps them be stable. Nevertheless, Kapha types need to be sure to stay balanced so that they don’t get stuck in a rut or feel a sense of inertia in the dark of winter.
Exercise before 10 am daily, ideally in the sunlight and make it a bit more vigorous that usual
Avoid snacking between meals.
Reach out to friends and schedule at least one ‘healthy happy hour’ per week.
Don’t over sleep. Wake up by 6 am and go to sleep by 10 pm.
Pitta Winter Realignment
Pitta types tend to be fiery, intense, and focused. The natural heat of their bodies and minds can help them feel more balanced in the cold of winter.
Winter is your best season to add spice to your fresh, seasonal diet. Think Chai tea more than Atomic hot sauce, and experiment with warming spices like black peppercorns, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, coriander and cumin.
Soften your intensity and invite deep rest and relaxation into your routine.
While hot tubs and saunas may be inviting this time of year, those with high pitta dosha should limit or eliminate their exposure as they are quick to overheat.
Ground yourself by closing out each activity before moving on to the next.
Being in sync with the seasons is vital to your health. In fact, adjusting your routine for the current season, and giving yourself time to pause and transition between seasons, helps prevent premature aging.
Create your own winter wonderland of self-care this week, by adjusting one or two habits to balance your dosha (Ayurvedic constitution).
Join my complimentary Habits to Thrive Facebook group to learn how to evolve your habits, so that you are living life in your prime!
Photo credit: Tim Mossholder