disease. The rectum solidifies fecal matter and prompts the emptying of the bowel. The kidneys pass urine
to the bladder, which causes urination. The skin also receives waste products that begin to surface at this
time. Hence, the importance of washing or showering in the morning. The entire body is geared toward
the excretion of useless waste material. About 70 percent of the body’s waste is eliminated through the
lungs, 20 percent through the skin, 7 percent through urine, and 3 percent through feces. Regular and
complete waste excretion from these organs is vital for the smooth and balanced functioning of all the
cells in the body. Any long-term congestion in the colon, liver and kidneys turns the body into a sewer
reservoir.
At the end of the Pitta period, which marks the beginning of Vata time, the body temperature begins to
drop and reaches its lowest point at about 4:00 a.m. (the peak of Vata time). After that, it gradually rises
again. Toward the end of Vata time, when nature begins to become more active, both body temperature
and stress hormone levels (such as adrenaline and cortisol) will be sufficiently high to jumpstart the day
with a thorough cleanout. To support complete and efficient waste removal, though, the body needs to be
awake and in a vertical position. Gravity plays an important role in the body’s circulatory and eliminative
functions. Therefore, Ayurveda recommends that we get up preferably before sunrise or at dawn, but not
after sunrise. Since the times of sunrise vary from season to season and from country to country, Vata also
undergoes certain fluctuations. Still, 6:00 a.m. is generally the recommended time to rise for most people
Note: young children, teenagers and even adolescents whose natural melatonin cycle begins earlier in the
night than that of adults, require at least one or two hours of extra sleep in the evening.
The use of an alarm clock to wake up in the morning abruptly stops the gradual phasing out of the
various, sequentially-occurring sleep patterns and may cause irritability, headaches and nervousness
throughout the day. You may feel as if you haven’t really woken up yet. The easiest way to control your
waking time is to adjust your bedtime in the evening. For example, if you generally need 8 hours of sleep
to feel refreshed and rested in the morning, you would greatly benefit from going to sleep around 10:00
p.m.. If you need more hours to feel refreshed, then go to bed even earlier. Should you truly require only 7
hours of sleep (although most adults need about 8 hours) then go to bed at 10:00 p.m. and get up at 5 a.m.,
an even better time for Vata to be effective. The bowel movement is the strongest type of movement in
the body and requires a large portion of the body’s energy. To support the body in this effort, we need to
be up and about bright and early. Going to sleep early in the night and rising early in the morning is one
of the most important health recommendations you can receive. You would be wise to apply it in your
life.
Risks Of Deviating From Nature’s Routine
Deviating from any of the natural biological rhythms on a regular basis may disrupt the balance of
your body and mind. For example, let us presume that you sleep until 8:00 a.m., which is 2 hours into the
Kapha period (slow activity). This means that the eliminative functions/movements of Vata are not able to
complete the removal of waste during Vata’s final phase at around 6:00 a.m.. However, since Vata’s
influence is still very strong at this time, its movement becomes restricted and reversed, similar to the
course of a river that is held up by the wall of a dam. Hence, part of the waste is forced back into the body
instead of being excreted. This situation also applies to the urinary system. Some portion of the urine
backs up and returns to the kidneys, which upsets fluid balance in the body and may lead to swelling of
the face, eyes and abdomen. In addition, waste materials that the skin tries to eliminate are reabsorbed and
begin to enter the lymph and bloodstream. As fecal matter starts backing up in the colon, congestion
occurs throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Lymph ducts become obstructed, leading to edema in the
intestines and other parts of the body. Such lymphatic swellings can be felt, for example, as hard lumps