As someone who’s not a “morning person”, this is my typical wake up time calculation:
Wake up time == Scheduled Activity – (Time Needed to Become Presentable + Transportation Time)
On weekdays, this is usually:
7:00 AM == 8:00 AM work – (30 minutes + 30 minutes)
Sound familiar?
This month I am learning to become a “morning person”. Choosing a wake-up time was a challenge–I could simply wake up an hour early, but would this give me enough time to really feel a benefit? What was the likelihood that I would just snooze my way from 6:00 AM to 7:00/7:10AM?
While learning more about Ayurveda, I realized that there was some logic behind my often sluggish mornings. Kapha, the energy of earth/water, dominates the time between 6:00 and 10:00 (both AM/PM). If we wake up during this time, we usually feel sluggish and heavy. By waking up before 6:00 AM, we avoid feeling the need to go back to bed/hitting the snooze.
The kapha cycle is ideal for physical activity. Our muscular system is at its peak and our cortisol level rises. This is not the time to eat a heavy meal.
Ayurvedic texts recommend starting the day with deep breathing, elimination, lukewarm water (lemon may be added), exercise, and meditation to make the most of this time.