Holistic Ayurvedic Approaches To Stress Management: Balancing Mind, Body, Spirit For Well-Being

Stress is a constant companion in today’s fast-paced world, wreaking havoc on both our mental and physical health. But what if the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda could offer a holistic solution? Dr. Karthik Krishnan, VP at The Arya Vaidya Pharmacy Ltd., Coimbatore, recently shared with HT Lifestyle how Ayurveda goes beyond merely managing stress — it targets the root cause.

According to Dr. Krishnan, stress often stems from imbalances in the body’s doshas (Vata and Pitta) and poor lifestyle choices. Unlike conventional methods that focus on symptom relief, Ayurveda aims to restore balance by realigning the body and mind with nature’s rhythms, making stress management a long-term, sustainable practice.

Dr. Krishnan highlighted the effectiveness of Ayurvedic practices like meditation, mindful breathing (pranayama), and personalized nutrition in restoring balance to the body’s energies and providing lasting relief from stress. He explained that herbs such as Ashwagandha, Shatavari, and Brahmi are key in helping the body manage stress and regain balance. He also emphasized the importance of understanding a person’s unique constitution, or prakriti, to create customized treatments for stress relief. These could include herbal remedies or detoxifying therapies like Shiro Abhyanga, Shiro Dhara, and Pada Abhyanga, which focus on relieving stress in specific areas for a complete approach to both physical and mental relaxation.

Dr. Karthik Krishnan also explained that Ayurveda sees stress management as a lifelong process that requires self-awareness, regular care, and balance between the body, mind, and spirit. He noted that in today’s world, Ayurveda reminds us that true well-being starts from within, helping us build resilience, peace, and harmony in all areas of life. He also mentioned that this ancient wisdom still offers valuable guidance for living a balanced life in a fast-paced society.

Dr. Sachin, BAMS, Medical Advisor at Rasayanam Ayurveda, said that stress is a constant challenge for many, but Ayurveda offers a holistic solution by tackling both the symptoms and the root causes. Ayurveda focuses on balancing the mind, body, and spirit through time-tested practices like meditation, adaptogenic herbs, and lifestyle adjustments. Dr. Sachin highlighted the role of herbs such as Ashwagandha and Brahmi, which work together to calm the nervous system and enhance resilience against stress.

Ravichandran Venkatraman, Founder of Alive Consultancy, shared his perspective on India’s traditional system, which identifies five layers of the human being. He explained that Annamaya Kosha (Earth) represents the body, nourished by food. Praanamaya Kosha (Water) is the life energy sustained by breath. Manomaya Kosha (Fire) is the mental layer, shaped by thoughts and emotions. Vijyanmaya Kosha (Air) is wisdom, including knowledge, intuition, and will, and, finally, Anandmaya Kosha (Space) is the layer of bliss, representing a state of pure happiness.

He concluded by saying that managing stress is all about balancing your energy throughout the day. This means balancing physical energy through food (Rajasic, Tamasic, Saatvic), mental energy through thoughts and breath control, life energy by managing will, discipline, resilience, and empathy, and environmental energy through Rajas (Kinetic Energy), Tamas (Potential Energy) and Satwa (Essence of Consciousness).