My 4:30 AM Ayurvedic Morning Routine

If you’re new around here you’ll quickly find out that I LOVE routines.

I create routines throughout my day that are intentional and help me thrive.

My most important routine is always my morning routine. It’s also the one I change up most often depending on the season and how I am feeling.

Lately, I’ve needed more time to replenish my mind and body.

This is exactly why I started implementing more Ayurvedic habits into my morning, it has been amazing.

Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest health practices that originated in India. In Sanskrit, Ayurveda means “The Science of Life” or “Knowledge of Life.” The idea is to create balance and maintain health by giving attention to one’s physical health, thoughts, diet, and lifestyle.

I’m not one to go extreme with any sort of health practice, but I find the habits incorporated in Ayurveda are very soothing and simple to implement.

You can also watch my morning routine below:

So let’s jump into my morning routine:

I wake up at 4:30 AM

Yes it sucks.

Yes I want to crawl back into bed.

To overcome that feeling, I place my phone (my alarm) across the room so I’m forced to stand up. I then have to do something immediately AND talk to myself.

I always remind myself “I’m just tired, it’s OK, nothing is wrong.”

I fill up my tea kettle with water and turn it on. While that begins to heat up, I head to my bathroom, remove my retainers and brush them.

Tongue scraping

I scrape my tongue a few times to remove any build up from the night. Tongue scraping is a common Ayurvedic practice that is said to remove odor, increase your ability to taste, and remove bacterial build-up.

I use this tongue scraper.

Warm lemon water

My water has boiled at this point and I pour myself a cup. I slice a wedge of lemon and gently squeeze it into my water, then top it off with cold water to make it warm, not hot.

The warm water is known to stimulate the digestive tract while the lemon helps loosen the toxins. Lemon is also high in vitamins and minerals.

I’m usually pretty cold in the morning too, so the combo is a lovely way to warm up.

I walk back to my room as I sip on my lemon water, wrap my throw blanket around my shoulders and take a seat in my meditation mat.

The 6-Minute Diary

I start my personal development segment by filling in my 6-Minute Diary. I love this thing. You start your day with gratitude, intentions, a positive affirmation, and an inspiring quote.

I have a whole review that you can read on The 6-Minute Diary.

Meditation

I then move on to meditating.

I use the app Insight Timer. I am usually drawn to the meditations that are motivational and/or include visualization.

I spend about 10 to 15 minutes meditating.

Journal

After, I immediately begin writing in my journal.

I use my journal to visualize how my day will go, set intentions, write down my goals, or clarify my values.

Everyday is different. Some days I write a whole page, others just a few sentences.

I make my way to my living room and roll out my yoga mat.

Yoga

I find a 10-15 minute morning yoga/stretch video and follow along.

A few of my favorite YouTube yogis include:

• Adriene (Yoga with Adriene)
• Sarah (SarahBethYoga)
• Kassandra (Yoga with Kassandra)

Morning yoga helps my body to wake up. I love how peaceful and energizing it is.

It’s important to get my blood flowing and to start my day with deep breathing.

I roll up my mat and make my way back to my bathroom.

Oil pulling

I place about 1 teaspoon of coconut oil in my mouth and begin swishing it around. I set a timer for 20 minutes.

This is known as oil pulling. Oil pulling is known to improve oral health by reducing inflammation, killing odor-causing bacteria, and preventing decay.

Dry brush

I dry brush for a couple of minutes while I continue to swish the coconut oil around in my mouth.

Dry brushing not only exfoliates your skin, but it promotes blood circulation and has energizing effects. It’s very relaxing and it’s like a little treat each morning.

Shower

I take a shower (still swishing coconut oil) for about 10 minutes.

A few minutes after my shower my timer goes off for my oil pulling. I spit the oil out and continue to get ready.

By 6 AM I am completely done getting ready.

I pack my lunch, cut up some fruit, fill up my water bottle, and make my coffee.

I then have about 30-45 minutes to work on one of my many passion projects before heading off to work.

Incorporating these simple and affordable Ayurvedic practices into my morning has been rejuvenating.

I know many people see these things as over the top or unnecessary, but I appreciate waking up earlier to do these habits.

My mornings are very intentional and it has proven to me to be a great way to start my day.

If you’re interested in learning more about Ayurveda, check out this book.