How to keep your cool during summer.

Do you love the long, hot summer days? Or do you go out of your way to avoid the intensity of the summer sun?

This time of year really lifts the human spirit. Ram and I really enjoy the lighter evenings and warmer temperatures, we love to go for evening walks or take an early evening swim. There’s also something quite special to observe mother nature in all her bloom.

Yet, for those who struggle in hot temperatures, summer is not so welcome. ⁠The ancient science of Ayurveda provides practical tools and tips to stay cool during the summer months.

What is Ayurveda?

If you are new to Ayurveda, Ayurveda translates as the ‘science of life.’ It is the sister science of Yoga and like Yoga it dates back thousands of years. In Ayurveda, good health is defined as a balance between body, mind, spirit, and social wellbeing.

One of the main principles of Ayurveda is that to maintain balance of your health and vitality than your habits, routines and diets should adapt to suit the season.

Ayurveda is built around the five elements of nature: earth, water, fire, air, and ether (space). There are three main ‘doshas’ that form a combination of each element. VATA, PITTA and KAPHA. VATA is governed by air and ether, PITTA by fire and water and KAPHA dosha is governed by earth and water.

We are born with all three doshas, yet we have either one or two doshas that are dominant, and it is this that defines all aspects of who we are. If you would like to define which dosha is your dominant one you can try this quiz.

It’s all about balance

There is a simple rule with Ayurveda, ‘like increases like’ and ‘opposites balance’. This ancient science teaches us that we are all unique individuals. you may be a person who loves and thrives during the summer months, it compliments your personality, increases your internal sense of harmony. Or maybe you are someone who dreads this time of year. It makes you feel physical exhausted, disturbs your sleep pattern, and leaves you feeling irritable and uncomfortable as the heat of summer intensifies. You could also be a mixture of both these scenarios!

However, you can have too much of a good thing, and that’s why it’s good to find ways to keep your balance during the hotter months. Ayurveda says you can stay in harmony with your health and vitality during summer by making a few adjustments to your diet and lifestyle. This prospect may seem a little daunting at first, but you may notice that you are already making these adjustments naturally. And you will be surprised how a few simple changes can increase your health and vitality during this time of year.

Summer is the season of Pitta

The ancient science of Ayurveda says summer brings with it qualities that are hot, sharp, and penetrating. It is the season when the PITTA dosha is more prevalent. ⁠PITTA is the dosha that controls your metabolism and can cause you to overheat especially during the summer months.
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If during the heat of summer, you find you are more irritable, you get frustrated and impatient. Physically you may also feel discomfort through overheating, or have hot flashes, sunburn or experience skin irritations, or diarrhoea. There’s good chance your PITTA dosha is a little out of balance.⁠ ⁠

The aim during the summer months is to keep PITTA balanced by staying cool, grounding your energy, and incorporating more relaxation into your daily life. ⁠Generally slowing things down.

Make adjustments to your diet

Eating for the season is the number one thing to do in order to eat well in summer. During the summer months mother nature provides access to an abundance of the most delicious summer fruits and vegetables. You may find you instinctively adjust your diet. Ram and I are eating much lighter foods, and are really enjoying a lot of beautiful green salads from the garden.

Cooler foods don’t necessary mean cold food. More that they have a cooling energy. At this time of year, it’s advised to choose foods that cool your body and calm your mind. Opt for bitter, astringent flavours, leafy green vegetables like kale, zucchini (courgettes) cooling cucumbers, watermelons and summer berries.

Avoid foods that will aggravate Pitta, foods that are overly salty, fried, processed and spicy. Minimise using ingredients like chilli, garlic and onion. But that doesn’t mean you can’t spice things up! Fresh herbs like cilantro, mint, and basil have wonderful cooling properties and also provide anti-inflammatory qualities. Cilantro, turmeric and fennel seeds are also wonderful herbs and spices.

Stay hydrated The summer heat drains more moisture from the body, so the need to stay hydrated increases significantly during the summer months. Drink lots of water and avoid or significantly reduce your caffeine and alcohol intake as they dehydrate the body. Don’t be afraid to add a pinch of salt into a glass of water to help you keep hydrated. Coconut water is incredibly cooling and a beautiful refreshing and hydrating drink, try adding mint!

Adjusting your Yoga and Meditation practice

It’s traditional to practice yoga early in the morning before sunrise. Not everyone can manage to rise at this time, so don’t worry! However, during the warmer months of the year it is recommended to practise in the mornings or late evenings when the sun and temperature is not so intense.

Yoga Nidra, this is a magical practice to deeply relax your body and mind, and rejuvenate your energy at any time but especially during these summer months. It is my saviour when I am feeling my energy levels drop in the heat. If you would like to try Yoga Nidra a go, you can access a free 20 minutes audio practice by following this link.

For your Yoga asana practice, SLOW IT DOWN! Opt for 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 also your mind!

Pranayama (breathwork): Practice Sheetali (cooling breath) or Seetkari (hissing breath) pranayama practices to cool the mind. These are also great practices for anyone experiencing hot flashes! Watch this video below where I show you how!

Difficulty sleeping?

We really love summer, but there’s nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable or finding it difficult to sleep in the summer heat. Ram and I have a dominant Vata Dosha constitution, so find air conditioning and fans aggravating and noisy. It’s the windows open and the hope of a natural breeze that keeps us cool during the night!

Here’s a couple of ideas from Ayurveda that may help you to sleep better in the summer heat.

Take a cool or even cold shower before bedtime, it is the best antidotes to an overheated body and mind.

A beautiful bedtime ritual for your feet! Washing your feet before bed in cool water and then massaging them with coconut oil is a wonderful thing to add to your summer bedtime routine. 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 that you have found these Ayurvedic tips beneficial for seamlessly transitioning into the new season. It is crucial to establish a summer routine that incorporates lighter meals and seasonal foods while staying adequately hydrated. By making these small adjustments, you can effectively maintain balance amidst the summer heat. Lastly, remember to grant yourself permission to embrace a slower pace of life.