Ayurvedic experts like Dr. Deepak Chopra believe that stress is a leading cause of disease and a great threat to our quality of life and sense of well-being. Ayurveda sees the human being as composed of many dimensions, and when one aspect of life becomes imbalanced all aspects are affected.⁷⁴

Stress may be described as both our physical, biological reactions to external factors as well as our emotional responses to these stressors. In Ayurveda, these stressors interact with our bodies by affecting the three mental qualities we all have—prana, tejas, and ojas. These are similar to the three doshas (vata, pitta, and kapha) but these elements primarily regulate our mind and emotions. When in balance we feel mentally clear and calm. When prana, tejas, and ojas are out balance because of stress our mental health is affected.⁷⁴

Ayurveda recognizes that everyone’s response to stress is different and creating more harmony between a person and their environment depends on the individual. Personalized stress management begins with an understanding of the person’s dosha.¹