Are you struggling to hide dark under eye circles? Are you tired of empty promises of expensive creams and ointments? Are you exhausted from hiding your dark circles under layers of make-up? If the answer is a resounding yes, then Ayurveda can come to your rescue. Often, when we notice the appearance of dark under eye circles, our impulse is to hide them with a concealer or apply over-the-counter treatments in a quick fix approach, but how often do we try to find the root cause of dark circles? Let’s be honest, not a lot.
A secret about dark circles
The appearance of dark under eye circles is a physical manifestation of the changes that our body and mind are going through. This is the basic premise on which Ayurveda will rectify your problems. This should be the first step towards your journey to an overall healthier skin. In our fast-paced lifestyles, we are prone to pay less heed to our sleep cycles or our exposure to white light and computer screens. We are equally guilty of skimping on meals and grabbing food on the go, which usually means fewer nutrients for our body. Over time, this erratic lifestyle and lack of care accumulates, presenting itself as symptoms such as dark circles and other visible skin issues. Ayurveda can effectively understand the effects of imbalances in the body, and work to correcting the imbalance and changing your lifestyle using pocket-friendly tips.
Understanding the cause of dark circles
In Ayurveda, the appearance of dark circles can be an aggravated vata imbalance due to multiple factors like irregular sleep habits or sleep deprivation. Infrequent or inadequate meals can also contribute to this imbalance. So these routines induce unnecessary stress in the body.
Vata imbalance: An aggravated vata makes you feel dehydrated. The reverse holds true too, if you are dehydrated, it can spur a vata imbalance. And so, foods cold in nature, predominantly dry or dehydrated food can also trigger a vata imbalance in the body.
If you observe, you can also associate other tangible symptoms such as anxiousness, fear, constipation, bloating, and body dryness amongst others with a vata imbalance.
Pitta imbalance: However, there can be another imbalance in the body called pitta that could cause your dark circles. Usual symptoms of this imbalance can look irritable – hot flushes, burning sensation, excess thirst, and hunger. So, if you are used to consuming rich, fatty, and salt-rich diets or you are experiencing excessive stress or tension, it would cause a pitta dosha (or imbalance).
Sometimes, the resulting imbalance can create more serious conditions like menstrual disorders or digestive tract issues, which could worsen the problems of dark circles and hyperpigmentation.
What triggers an imbalance in our body?
Our body needs a few basics – deep sleep, nutritious food, and a stress-free mind. If any element goes askew, an imbalance can be created inside our body. Lack of sleep or irregular sleeping patterns, besides excessive stress can trigger this balance. It is also essential to reevaluate our eating patterns and assess the food we consume and switch to nourishing foods in balanced quantities. Overindulgence in an unhealthy diet consisting of extra spicy, pungent, oily, or fried food can also trigger an imbalance in the body with symptoms of anger, acidity, rashes or even feverishness. But while we have all been taught the perils of junk food consumption, the temptation of stocking up on so-called healthy frozen food packets is undeniable. But frozen foods may come packing with a host of preservatives, excess sodium besides lacking fresh nutrients. Be careful with these hidden preservatives in food.
Lifestyle changes to reduce those dark circles
Ask yourself today if you are consuming enough greens? Vitamin C-rich fruits? Antioxidants? Potassium? Magnesium? Or are you unconsciously consuming a diet rich in only carbohydrates and fats? To prevent the formation of dark circles or to overturn their appearance eventually, it is necessary to make long term lifestyle changes. A better sleep cycle, regimented screen time, as well as a diet rich in all essential vitamins and minerals sourced from fresh produce are a few essentials. Here are a few ready tips which you should pin to your wall:
- Get a good night’s sleep. Compensate with a few extra hours of sleep in the afternoon if need be, especially on hot summer days.
- Consume cooked and warm food, which is light and easy to digest.
- To ease the vata and pitta imbalance, it is recommended to consume naturally sweet fruits and grains.
- Avoid dry, spicy, or processed food or even very sour and fermented foods.
- Be mindful of not demonizing fats. Our body needs essential fats and naturally occurring oils, so add a dollop of organic ghee to your food, and also include nuts, seeds, and their oils to your daily diet.
- Do not forget to drink some water and more! Your body needs hydration so enjoy water infusions, light juices, and coconut water.
- Avoid screen time immediately after waking up or just before sleeping. In addition, try to reduce your daily screen time.
- Take up exercise every day. Make a promise to be active and move your body.
- Meditate today and every day to drop the stress and worry.
To augment controlling the vata and pitta imbalances, and effectively manage stress and other emotions, include breathing and meditation techniques in your daily life. Techniques like the Sudarshan Kriya can rid the body of stress, and anxiety stored over years, to allow your body and mind to regenerate and reap the true benefits of any lifestyle changes you may follow.
Ayurvedic treatments to reduce dark circles
While you commit yourself to these lifestyle changes, you can try these ancient remedies from the treasure trove of Ayurveda.
- Book a specialized Ayurveda massage therapy called the Abhyanga. Abhyanga is not only an excellent stress reliever but also promotes better blood flow and has shown to considerably reduce hyperpigmentation in the skin.
- You can also indulge in an oil bath in the comforts of your home.
- Include eyewashes in your routine. You can use Triphala tea or Yastimadhu tea or even pure water. While we bathe every day, it is essential to pay attention to splashing a few handfuls of water into the eyes and the area around to reduce any inflammation and also boost blood flow.
- Massage your face and pigmented areas around the eye with Kumkumadi Tailam. You can also use face masks made of sandalwood and rose water.
- Reach for Ayurvedic nasal drops like Sri Sri Tattva’s Anu Taila and rub it inside the nostrils. You will wake up to glowing skin!
- Use eye drops like Sri Netra drops from Sri Sri Tattva to relax the eyes from the screen stress they are subjected to.
- To relax fatigued eyes, you can also practice palming. Rub your hands together, creating warmth, and place them over the eye area.
- Practice some simple eye exercises. Take a lit candle and sit in a dark room, gazing at the candle. The candle should be at the eye level, and the backbone should be straight. When you keep staring at the candle, your eyes will tear up. Close your eyes, relax and repeat this at least two-three times.
- Look for an Ayurvedic doctor, and get advice on what is happening in your body. They can guide you best and give you individualized therapies and treatments. Ayurveda looks into various causes and also analyses the stages of progress of any imbalance. Sometimes, herbs are recommended and at later stages, one may require treatments like Panchakarma too.
As soon as you make these changes in your lifestyle, you will not only notice a marked improvement in pigmentation around the eyes but also feel better mentally, physically, and emotional.
Based on inputs from Dr Sharika Menon, a senior Ayurveda practitioner at Sri Sri Tattva in Bangalore, India
