Ayurvedic rules to exercise: Best time for workout, ideal duration, when to stop

You may not be exercising the right way if you feel exhausted all the time, have mood swings or trouble sleeping after working out. Here are healthy ways to exercise as per Ayurveda.

Do you invariably feel exhausted, have mood swings or trouble sleeping after an intense session of exercise? While working out is an important pillar of well-being and helps keep you fit and free from chronic diseases, over-exercising can be detrimental to your health. People can get addicted to exercise very fast as it releases certain chemicals that activate pleasure centres in our brain. Overtraining can also cause muscle strains, stress fractures or tendon injuries. There has been rise in cases of heart attack due to spending too much time in the gym and health experts have warned fitness enthusiasts that they should go slow and steady.

Ayurvedic rules to exercise: Best time for workout, ideal duration, when to stop (Pinterest)

Ayurveda recommends daily exercise as an important part of the daily routine but the ancient medicinal practice warns that the workouts should be done at the right time, right intensity and right way. Ayurveda expert Dr Nitika Kohli in her recent Instagram post talks about the Ayurvedic way to exercise for maximum health benefits.

BEST TIME TO EXERCISE AS PER AYURVEDA

"Ayurveda recommends the morning time 6 am to 10 am as a time for rejuvenation and achieving optimal health. The evening is the ideal time to relax, rest and rejuvenate," says Dr Kohli.

IDEAL DURATION AND INTENSITY OF THE EXERCISE

Dr Kohli says it is better to exercise for a few minutes daily, approx. 15 minutes up to half-n-hour, at 50% capacity, to keep fit, rather than exhaust yourself for two hours once or twice a week.

"Healthy exercise from the Ayurvedic perspective means exercising to half your capacity," says the expert, adding, "at this stage, you can still breathe through the nose, although breathing is deeper, and you can still chat easily. Slight sweating is good."

WHEN TO STOP WORKOUT

"You should feel warm but not exhausted. If you like you can include short intervals of higher intensity exercise. Build your stamina slowly," says the Ayurveda expert.

THREE PILLARS OF EXERCISE

Ayurveda recognises three pillars of exercise: strength training - for example sun salutation and weight training, flexibility - yoga, stretching, and endurance - jogging, cycling, swimming, fast walking, Nordic walking.

These best practices in exercises can make sure you not only get better results but also without harming your health.

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