Navratri 2025: Follow these DIY tips for Navratri detox to reset your mind and body

From sattvic meals to gentle movement, pranayama, and mindful reflection, align yourself with nature during the nine sacred days of Navratri. (Image: Pexels)

Rooted in ancient wisdom, the nine days of Navratri festival encourage us to pause, reset, and realign with nature. Our body, woven of the five elements like ether, fire, water, air, and earth finds balance through these rituals. It is not merely about fasting, it is about discipline, about intention, and about beginning anew.

The Navami detox supports this transition, helping to restore balance while preparing both body and mind. This sacred period is not only for the body, but also for the mind and emotions. It is a period of reflection, a time to set intention for the next six months. It is a new beginning aligned with the new moon, which itself is a symbol of renewal. Dr Tanu Singh, Co-founder of Lifeyoga, explains the significance, “When the seasons change, the three doshas of Ayurveda - Vata, Pitta and Kapha – become imbalanced. To restore harmony, we observe fasting for the nine days known as Navratri. During this time, digestion becomes sensitive and the mind may feel dull, unsettled by the shift in nature. This is why Navratri is practised, as it brings us back into alignment.”

Also Read: Navratri 2025: Creative Navratri thali ideas and satvik fasting recipes for a festive feast

Aligning with nature:

Navratri is as much about adapting to external changes as it is about introspection. Dr Tanu notes, “Just as the season adapts, so must we. Our body requires time to adjust and during these nine days, we consciously create that space. Planetary shifts also influence us, and to align with nature and its rhythm, we follow the detox. At home, this can be as simple as following a light sattvic diet, sipping warm water or herbal teas or beginning mornings with a small detox shot of lemon, ginger or turmeric. Gentle movements, inversions or stretches can help the body release stored heaviness, while a few minutes of pranayama, chanting, or silent reflection steady the mind.”

A time to reflect and reset:

This sacred time is a reset, an opportunity to look within, to recall our past, our habits, both good and bad. Even amidst a busy routine, small conscious changes can bring lasting benefits. For the body, Dr Tanu recommends simple adjustments, “One may take light, sattvic food, drink warm water throughout the day and enjoy herbal teas. Heavy outside food should be avoided, for much of it carries chemicals that disturb our system. Especially for young people, whose lifestyle often revolves around eating outside, a simple sattvic diet during these nine days can be a powerful practice.”

Also Read: Navratri Fasting Rules 2025: Allowed and Avoided Food Items, Vrat Vidhi

Caring for the mind:

Alongside diet, the mind too needs rest. Reducing the constant buzz of social media, setting aside even ten minutes daily for inward reflection, and practising mindful breathing can bring clarity. A little movement through stretches, inversions, or walks adds energy, while chanting can balance the emotional body and sharpen decision-making. Dr Tanu adds, “Remember, during this time, the body is in recovery mode so we must not overstrain it. The organs need rest, so avoid loading the system with unnecessary chemicals from outside and sleep well. Limit the use of body lotions, paraffins and sulfates, be close to nature instead. Aligning your rest with the rhythm of nature, sleeping early, waking early, will harmonize the body clock with the cosmic clock.”