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The New Year has long been understood as a time of grand resolutions. Yet that’s been changing in recent years. We’re understanding, through personal experience and contemporary research, that lasting change is less about lofty aspirations and more about small, everyday changes.
According to Ayurveda, an ancient tradition that is considered the sister science of yoga, there are simple adjustments that can make a profound difference when incorporated into your life. The following are some of the most essential elements to prioritize.
1. Prioritize Sleep
You’ve heard countless times of the relevance of proper rest. The ancient science of Ayurveda was teaching this common sensical practice before we had the research to support what the ancient science of Ayu.
There are countless approaches to ensure better sleep. Create a nighttime ritual. Begin to unwind a little earlier than usual. Stay away from screens prior to—and after–slipping into bed.
2. Breathe
Take a few moments, several times throughout the day, to slow your breath. You can practice any type of breathwork you prefer or simply slow your inhalations and exhalations, as you would during yoga. The slowed breathing has been shown to have a marked effect on the arousal of your nervous system, making it almost physiologically impossible to be in a state of anxiety during and shortly after your breathwork. Try to slow it for at least 90 seconds.
3. Pay More Attention at Meals
Rather than settling for the most convenient thing that you can consume on the run, sit down to an actual meal at least once a day. Try to opt for something cooked, which is believed in Ayurveda to enhance the assimilation of nutrients, especially in the cooler months.
And whatever you sit down to eat, dedicate your attention to it. Contemporary research supports the longheld Ayurvedic belief that rushing your meals, stressing during them, or diverting your focus to multitasking can create a chain reaction of digestive disturbances and imbalances, including compromised assimilation of nutrients.
4. Do Nothing
Last, rather than placing insane amounts of doing more this year, consider the Italian phrase “Il bel far niente,” which means “the beauty of doing nothing.”
Sadly, our society encourages relentless doing and achieving. The common declaration of being “too busy” to slow down, rest, or even sit still makes making “doing nothing” seem like an act of quiet rebellion. So be a rebel. If you need to schedule time for yourself, set aside an hour, a day, or perhaps an entire weekend in which you can “do nothing.”
This article has been updated. It was originally published on April 14, 2015.
About Our Contributor
Katie Silcox is the author of “Healthy, Happy, Sexy – Ayurveda Wisdom for Modern Women.” She’s a vinyasa yoga teacher, Ayurvedic practitioner and member of the National Ayurvedic Medicine Association, and is currently pursuing studies in Jungian psychology.
