How to Keep Your Cool During Summer.
Do you love the long, hot summer days, or do you find yourself avoiding the intensity of the sun whenever you can?
There’s something undeniably uplifting about this time of year. Ram and I love the longer evenings and warmer temperatures we often head out for an evening walk or take an early dip before dinner. And there’s something quite magical about watching Mother Nature in full bloom.
But not everyone feels the same. For many, the heat can be overwhelming. Luckily, the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda offers simple, practical ways to stay balanced and cool during the summer months.
What is Ayurveda?
If you’re new to it, Ayurveda means ‘the science of life.’ It’s Yoga’s sister science and dates back thousands of years. At its core, Ayurveda teaches that health is a balance of body, mind, spirit, and social wellbeing.
One of its guiding principles is that our habits, routines, and diets should shift according with the seasons to keep us feeling balanced.
Ayurveda is based on the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and ether (space). These combine to form three primary ‘doshas’ — Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
- Vata (air + ether)
- Pitta (fire + water)
- Kapha (earth + water)
We all have all three doshas within us, but usually one or two are more dominant.
It’s all about balance
There’s a beautiful simplicity in Ayurveda’s approach: like increases like, and opposites balance.
Ayurveda teaches us that we’re all unique. You might be someone who thrives in the sunshine, you feel energised and joyful when summer rolls in. Or maybe summer drains you. You feel hot, irritable, tired, and your sleep is really effected by the heat. Maybe you’re a mix of both!
Even if you love summer, too much heat can easily to you out of balance. With a few minor adjustments to your routine and diet you’ll move through the warmer months feeling more grounded and energised. And chances are, you’re already making some of these changes naturally without even realising.
Summer is Pitta Season.
According to Ayurveda, summer is dominated by the Pitta dosha. its characteristics are hot, sharp, and penetrating. Pitta governs your metabolism, so in summer it’s easy for this fire element to go out of balance.
When Pitta is out of balance, you might notice you’re more irritable, impatient, or short tempered. Physically, overheating, struggle with sunburn or skin rashes, or even experience digestive issues like diarrhoea. If any of this sounds familiar, your Pitta may be out of balance.
The aim during the summer months? Stay cool physically, mentally, emotionally. It’s the season to slow down, ground your energy, and make space for rest.
Tips for Eating Well in Summer
- Eat for the season is the number one thing. You may find you instinctively adjust your diet. Mother nature provides access to an abundance of the most delicious summer fruits and vegetables. Ram and I naturally shift to lighter meals this time of year and love eating fresh green salad straight from the garden.
- Choose cooling foods
This doesn’t necessarily mean cold food, but food that has a cooling effect on the body and mind. Choose bitter and astringent flavours, leafy greens like kale and courgette (zucchini), cucumbers, watermelons, and summer berries.
- Avoid foods that will aggravate Pitta.
Minimise anything overly salty, spicy, fried, or processed. Minimise chilli, garlic, and onions. That doesn’t mean you can’t use spice. Herbs like mint, coriander (cilantro), and basil not only add flavour but are naturally cooling and anti-inflammatory. Turmeric and fennel seeds are also good choices at this time of year.
- Stay hydrated
We lose more fluid in summer, so drinking water becomes even more important. Reduce caffeine and alcohol consumption as both will dehydrate you. A pinch of salt in your water can help maintain hydration, and coconut water (especially with a bit of mint!) is both refreshing and cooling.
Adjusting Your Yoga & Meditation Practice
Traditionally, Yoga is practised before sunrise, but let’s be real, not everyone’s jumping out of bed at 5am! That said, summer’s the time to practise early or late, when the heat of the day is less intense.
- Yoga Nidra
This guided practice is a lifesaver on hot, draining days. When the heat zaps my energy, a short Yoga Nidra feels like a full reset. If you’re curious, you can try a free 20-minute guided practice [here].
- Slow down your asana practice
Gentle movements and restorative practices, they work best at this time of year. We really recommend you avoid a hot intense asana practice as this will increase the heat in your body and your mind!
- Cooling breathwork
Try Sheetali (cooling breath) or Seetkari (hissing breath). These are great for calming the nervous system and very effective if you’re experiencing hot flushes or night sweats. [Watch this video to learn how.]
Trouble Sleeping?
We love summer. but sticky, restless nights, not so much. Ram and I are both Vata dominant, so find air conditioning and fans aggravating and noisy. We usually rely on open windows and a hopeful breeze to keep us cool.
Here are a few Ayurvedic bedtime tips to help you sleep more soundly in the summer heat:
- Take a cool shower before bed it’s one of the best ways to settle an overheated body and mind.
- A cooling foot ritual. Wash your feet in cool water, then massage with coconut oil. Coconut oil is cooling and calming for the skin, it’s also great if you are sunburnt, it will cool your skin down.
- Ayurveda generally suggests sleeping on the left side. However, if you sleep on your right side, it encourages you to breath more through the left nostril that corresponds with the Ida Nadi energy channel, which relates to the cooling moon (lunar) aspects. This helps to cool down the mind.
We hope these Ayurveda tips help you move through the summer with more ease and comfort. A few simple adjustments, eating seasonally, staying hydrated, slowing down can make all the difference.
Above all, give yourself permission to go gently. Embrace the slower rhythm of the season and let summer be a time of nourishment and rest.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you may also like to read…
10 Ayurvedic tips to balance Pitta Dosha in Summer.
Why you should adjust your yoga practice in summer.
5 Ayurvedic practices to start your day right.
Feeling inspired to live more in tune with the seasons?
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