Top 5 Ways to Balance your Mental Health with Ayurveda

Ayurveda

Introduction

The pandemic brought to the forefront an issue that people were ignoring simply because they were so busy with their lives. It became impossible to stay at home and not have as many people to talk to. This was an alarming state of mental health that was observed and dangerous if left untreated.

Some of the best Ayurvedic hospital in India for mental illness record thousands of patients every year for different mental health issues. Institutes dedicated to Ayurveda education like Sri Sai also teach different ways and methods to tackle mental health issues. Clearly, mental health is gaining popularity and people are realizing why one must not ignore it. Apply for BAMS ( Bachelor of Ayurveda Medicine and Surgery) Course

Elaborated on below, are some ways to take care of mental health, at home, with Ayurveda.

Why is Mental Health Important?

Mental Health, as a topic, is avoided in many Asian households. This disease, however, has such an important effect on our lives that it must be taken care of as soon as possible. Lack of good mental state means there is no motivation to go to work, or foster relationships, and our own self-image is harmed. It becomes difficult just to perform routine day-to-day activities. When ignored for a long time, a poor mental state can lead to physical illnesses as well as stress or heart diseases.

When taking proper care of one’s mental state, there is a marked difference in anxiety levels. One can experience a sense of inner peace and think more clearly. The individual is more confident and the same is put forward to their relationships as well. All of this and more can be achieved by visiting a therapist trained in modern medicine or an Ayurvedic expert.

Ayurveda and Mental Health

Ayurvedic means of dealing with mental health are all about detecting the problem, and gently handling it without condemning the human being. Like with all other aspects of Ayurveda, with mental health too, the doshas come into play. The dosha, of a person, is a combination of five elements that determine how they think and are physically. For instance, Vata dosha people are more creative, Pitta dosha people are more intellectual and highly motivated. The last dosha, Kapha, is more loving and nurturing. Ayurveda recommends keeping this dosha always in balance in order to be happy, peaceful, and tranquil as a human being.

Ayurveda also describes three energy cycles people usually go through. These range from being productive and active or the Sattva to feeling lethargic and lazy or Tamas. Then there is the stage where one feels restless and is called Rajas. For optimum mental health, experts recommend having a balanced Sattva or to increase the Sattva. The same point has been elaborated on below.
Also Read : Ayurvedic Diet- A Healthy Lifestyle.


5 Tips for Balanced Mental Health According to Ayurveda

Ayurveda has many ways to tackle poor mental health. From diet and exercise to taking care of dosha and sattva imbalance, one can do many things. Stated below are five ways to bring about a mindful state of mind through Ayurveda.

Increase Sattva :-

Sattva is one of the three Gunas or qualities of nature, tendencies, qualities, and attributes. One example of this would be people who get quick results with minimal effort. This is because they have more sattva. Sattva is a quality of goodness, serenity, peacefulness, and an overall balance. Sattva is affected due to our fast-paced lives. Lack of sleep and poor diets are contributing factors as well. With an Ayurvedic diet, meditation, yoga, and breathwork, one can increase their Sattva. An individual with balanced sattva is happier, lighter, enthusiastic, has higher energy levels are generally pleasant to be around.

Balance the Dosha :-

The base of all Ayurvedic education and treatment is the doshas. Each human being is a combination of five elements, earth, air, space, fire and water making the doshas. These doshas determine a person’s personality and physical state. When doshas are not in balance, there is a lack of well-being and in the long term, different illnesses are attracted. To ensure this does not happen, one must aim at keeping the doshas balanced. There are many ways to do so but one can start by eating three full dosha specific meals, having a daily routine, meditation, exercising etc.

Ayurvedic Diet :-

A major part of solving any issues in the Ayurvedic way is to concentrate on the diet. The principles of an Ayurvedic diet has been in practice for decades and has proven benefits both for the mind and the body. For the question of how Ayurveda help mental health, one can answer besides the other points stated here, food. Ayurveda recommends diets according to dosha, Vata, Pitta and Kapha. With the food prescribed, Ayurveda also states how to eat mindfully with minimal distractions. The diet includes whole seasonal ingredients with the maximum nutritional benefits. There is a marked reduction in depression and stress with an Ayurvedic diet and individuals can develop a healthy relationship with food.

Meditation :-

Meditation and Ayurveda goes hand in hand. Experts recommend practicing meditation every day. Ayurveda states that it is an essential practice to balance out the mind. Without lives being so busy, our brains are always active and on overdrive constantly thinking. After a super busy day taking five minutes to meditate will bring about a sense of calmness and inner peace. It is not necessary to meditate for hours with any sort of fancy equipment. Ayurveda and mental health is easily achieved by meditating for a few minutes in the bedroom with pajamas on. Do not be discouraged by the first couple of sessions of meditation where the mind can get easily distracted, keep at it, and soon meditation will become easy.

Yoga :-

To further continue the question of how I can be mentally strong in Ayurveda, we have yoga. If we talk in terms of family members, Yoga would be the sister science to Ayurveda. Both are interconnected and the path to overall holistic health includes regular practice of yoga. While Ayurveda aims at healing the body in a natural way, yoga will unite the body with the mind. They are complementary to each other. The best part about yoga is that people of all ages can do it. There is no need for any complicated equipment like modern exercise does. A few minutes a day with a round of meditation is perfect to purify and rejuvenate the body and mind.

The above-stated pointers can be easily done at home with some research. One must, however, remember that mental health is an issue that must not be taken lightly and should not be overlooked. If one feels that the above-stated methods are not working, seek out a practicing Ayurvedic professional for expert guidance.


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