Summer Wellness: Āyurvedic Tips for Summer
Ahhh summer, that glorious time of year when school is out, routines are relaxed, days are long, and vacations are near.
Summer is a special time of year that many of us feel more free and playful, but summer comes with its downsides.
In āyurveda we evaluate the seasons based on their qualities. Summer, or pitta season, exhibits the qualities of being hot, sharp, oily, spreading, and light. When balanced these qualities are what give us determination and drive, stoke our digestion and manage our metabolism, and they are what help us have a discerning mind. But when pitta’s qualities are out of balance we are quick to anger, critical and judgmental, can suffer from indigestion and skin issues, and are prone to “burn out”.
Summer is when these qualities increase in our outer environment and are exacerbated in our own internal environment. TĀyurveda offers practical lifestyle advice to help us manage the qualities of pitta and keep us calm, cool, and collected all summer long.
Maintain a routine
With kids out of school, teachers off of work, long days, and travel and vacations, our routines often go out the window when summer rolls around. It can feel liberating to forego your routine in the summer, but the wisdom of āyurveda warns against it. Routine is stabilizing to the mind and body, and soothing for the nervous system. Our bodies are designed to thrive on routine, regularity, and consistency. Getting off of your routine not only impacts your sleep quality, but your digestion, your mood, and so much more.
You don’t have to continue to wake up as early as you would for school, or go to bed as early for that matter, what’s important is that there are not huge swings in your sleep/wake cycles, and that your days have a consistency to them. Try to eat meals are regular times, and have other rituals and routines that you do daily to help you stay grounded and act as a counter to the light quality of pitta.
2. early morning activity
The sun is at its most intense and the pitta qualities are most prevalent at mid-day (between the hours of 10am and 2pm). Intense, physical, heating activities during this time of day only increase the hot, sharp, spreading qualities of pitta in our systems. Āyurveda recommends completing all physically demanding workouts and tasks before 10am. If you can’t get your workout in early, waiting until the intensity of the sun has died down is your next best option. The mid-day hours should be reserved for low intensity, cooling, and calming activities.
3. Care for your skin
The skin is one of the primary organs for pitta, and pitta’s qualities are expressed through our skin, especially in the summer. The hot quality is expressed as red/flushed skin. The spreading quality often shows up as rashes that spread. Sunburn often exhibits both the qualities of hot and spreading, but also sharpness. And finally, it’s likely you’ll notice more oily congestion in your skin during the summer.
To care for your skin during the summer months use a gentle cleanser. I love the rosewater products from Heritage Store. Rose has cooling and calming qualities, and is super soothing for your skin during the pitta season. The rosewater spray is especially cooling and uplifting. Try keeping it in the fridge and spritzing it on your face when you’ve been outside in the heat. I also use this gentle scrub during the summer months to relieve some of the oily congestion in my skin.
Pitta skin is extremely sensitive. Wear a wide brimmed hat when you are out in the sun to protect your skin from the sun. And ALWAYS wear sunscreen when you are exposed to the sun, regardless of your skin tone and skin color. Even melanated skin can burn and damage, and all skin colors are susceptible to skin cancer. I prefer a mineral based sunscreen.
4. Stay hydrated
Even though pitta dosha contains both the fire and water elements, pitta season can be drying. Think about what happens when the sun comes out after a summer rain…….evaporation. The fire from the sun dries up the water, and the same is true for pitta dosha - the strong fire element dries up the water element, especially if we let the fire grow to strong.
To stay hydrated this summer drink plenty of cool (but not iced) water. If you don’t love just a plain ol’ glass of water try adding cooling cucumber and mint to your summer water.
Coconut water is another exceptional beverage for summer. Not only is it hydrating and replenishing, it also contains cooling properties to combat pitta’s heat.
5. Take a dip
One of the best ways to stay active during pitta season is in the water. Water is cooling and calming and soothes pitta dosha. Water (especially natural bodies of water) is also healing and restorative for our ojas (vital energy reserves). The fire of pitta can drain those energy reserves, leaving us feeling “burned out”. Spending some time in water can restore your energy.
Swimming also increases your digestive strength, which can be diminished during the heat of summer. And, best of all, being in the water can bring out our childlike playfulness. Pitta has a tendency to by hyper focused, and serious to a fault. Gentting in the water and splashing around with your friends and family is a great way to remember to take yourself less seriously.
6. Take a nap
One of our top tips for summer self care — give yourself permission to TAKE A NAP!! In the intense heat of the afternoon you’ll notice a lull in energy as your body slows down in an attempt to keep itself cool. This is a great time to head indoor for a short afternoon nap.
Nap on an empty stomach, at least 2 hours after you’ve finished a meal.
An afternoon nap will help restore your energy and combat physical and mental fatigue. About 20-30 minutes of rest will do. Set an alarm and don’t oversleep, or you risk increasing the qualities of kapha and feeling groggy and sluggish for the rest of your day. Just a quick power nap is all you need!