The Ayurvedic Clock and Circadian Medicine

Recently there has been a lot of medical research and articles about Circadian Medicine. In fact, in 2017, the Nobel Prize was awarded to scientists studying circadian rhythms in relationship to health.

“Circadian rhythm research is beginning to show how rhythms sustain health. This knowledge is leveraged for behavioral interventions that optimize daily rhythms, the timing of drug delivery and the targeting of clock components to prevent or treat chronic diseases.”[1]

Once again, modern medicine is “discovering” what traditional medicine has known for a long time. Ayurveda has been working with Circadian Medicine for thousands of years. When I introduce the Ayurvedic Clock to clients or students I always get the same reaction, “That makes so much sense.” Ayurveda is ancient wisdom applicable to modern times.

Circadian Rhythms are the natural cycles of night and day as well as the cycle of the seasons. Each of our cells contain these “biological clocks” which inform us how to regulate our bodies. If you ever have taken a plane to another time-zone you will be familiar with this.  Jet-lag is the discrepancy between the time-change and these biological clocks. Another example is Daylight Saving Time. When we lose an hour, it takes a while for our internal clocks to catch-up and reset. The “new” information on Circadian Medicine is one of the reasons lawmakers are currently working towards eliminating Daylight Savings.

Recent studies in Circadian Rhythms show this internal clock regulates:

Sleep
Mood
Metabolic functioning: digestion (the microbiome), weight and blood sugar
The Heart and other organs
Detoxification of liver & gallbladder

The Clock

The Ayurvedic Clock is divided into three different periods where there is a predominance of particularly energies. The Ayurvedic clock lines up with the Circadian Clock. The clock shows us the optimal times to eat, exercise, create and sleep.

Kapha Time 6-10

Kapha Time is from 6-10am and 6-10pm. Kapha means, “That which builds.” Kapha is a combination of earth and water elements. Kapha is dominant during these hours, during the season of late Winter- Spring and from birth until puberty. Kapha is what gives us our strength and immunity. Ayurveda recommends getting up at 6am. If we lay in bed past that time, we take on more qualities of Kapha, heaviness, inertia, etc. This is why we often wake up feeling lethargic. Excess Kapha causes what I call, “Couch Potato-ness.” Ayurveda recommends we exercise during this time to shake off that dullness.

Kapha is also dominant during 6-10pm. During Kapha time digestion is slower. This is why Ayurveda recommends dinner be a lighter meal at least three hours before bed.

Pitta Time 10-2

Pitta Time is between 10am-2pm and 10pm-2am. Pitta means, “That which digests.” Pitta is composed of fire and water. It is responsible for digestion (food, thoughts, experiences) and chemical transformation. Pitta is dominant during these times, during Summer and adolescence until menopause.
Our digestive fire is strongest between 12am-2pm. According to the Ayurvedic clock, lunch should be between these hours and should be our largest meal. When we skip lunch, our biological clock still tells us we should be eating. (There is an increase in stomach acid around noon.) If we do this regularly this can lead to inflammation in the digestive tract.

Going to bed by 10pm is another part of the Ayurveda’s regulating advice.  We often get a second wind if we stay up past 10pm. Then, it is difficult to fall asleep before Pitta is done at 2pm. We have many phrases for this in our culture, such as, “Burning the midnight oil.” This confuses our circadian rhythm and the production of melatonin and its balance with cortisol. Melatonin is derived from serotonin, so it affects that as well. The body cleans itself while we are sleeping during this period. If we are awake regularly during these times our liver and gallbladder will not unload there toxins properly. This will be exacerbated if we have a midnight snack as our bodies are designed to rest during this time.

Vata Time 2-6

Vata Time is between 2am-6am and 2pm-6pm. Vata means, “That which moves.” It rules over all movement in our bodies and minds. Air and space are the elements that make up Vata. Vata is dominant during these times, during Fall – early Winter and post menopause. Vata type insomnia is when we wake up during Vata time and cannot fall back asleep. If this happens it is due to an Vata imbalance indicating the nervous system is overloaded. During 2am -6am our brain drains its toxins into our lymph. We often have dreams during this period.

Our minds are creative and strong during 2pm-6pm, so this is a great time for problem solving or innovation. If we get tired during this time it indicated insufficient sleep, stress or issues with blood sugar.

The Science of Life

Ayurveda literally means, “The Science of Life.” It gives us tools, like the Ayurvedic clock to help us optimize our health, contentment and longevity.

“As long as we are not living in harmony with nature and our constitution, we cannot expect ourselves to be really healed. Ayurveda gives us the means.”

―Dr. David Frawley

Book a session with Ami to improve your health and sense of well-being.

[1] Panda, S. The arrival of circadian medicine. Nat Rev Endocrinol 15, 67–69 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-018-0142-x