Dosha or Constitution Test

By Setareh Kiumarsi

Ayurveda means the science of life, the art of healthy living, and the art of maintaining lasting balance in body and mind.

Everything in nature (including humans, animals, plants, foods, objects, etc.) is a unique combination of five primary elements: Ether, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth.

In Ayurveda, to explain these five primary elements in the human body and mind, a specific classification called “Dosha” is used: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

Imagine each Dosha as a container or a package. Inside each, there is a set of qualities, potentials, strengths, and weaknesses, both physical and mental. Every person is a unique combination of these three Doshas. The specific arrangement of the contents of these three packages shapes the physical and mental characteristics of each individual.

In other words, all three Doshas exist within each of us, but in varying combinations, resulting in different constitutions. For one person, the Vata Dosha may dominate their body and mind, for another it may be Pitta, for another Kapha, or even a combination of multiple Doshas.

In Ayurveda, an individual learns how to adjust their lifestyle and diet according to their Dosha or constitution, thereby creating a lasting balance in body and mind.

Ayurvedic Constitution Test

Would you like to know yourself better? How is the unique combination of the three Doshas reflected in your body and mind? Answer the Ayurvedic constitution test below to better understand your body and adjust your diet and lifestyle according to your Dosha or constitution. Answer each question as honestly as possible and choose the option that best describes you throughout your life, not necessarily how you feel at this moment or in a specific situation.

Note: For questions marked with a star (with circular options), choose only one option. For other questions, you may select any number of options (including none) that apply.

1. Which of the following best describes your physical frame and bone structure? *SmallMediumBroad-shouldered, large, and solid

2. Which of the following best describes your height? *Very short or very tallMediumTall

3. Which of the following best describes your weight?Very thin, lose weight easily, cannot gain weight no matter how hard I tryMedium, prone to gaining weight, but can maintain weight with some diet and exerciseHeavy, cannot lose weight no matter what; gain weight even from small amounts of food or water

4. Which of the following best describes your skin?Cold, dry, rough, and crackedOily, soft, sensitive, reddish, prone to hives, eczema, or skin issuesCold, oily, moist, and thick

5. Which of the following best describes your face and facial skin?Thin face, sunken cheeks, dry skin with fine and deep wrinklesMedium face, flat cheeks, slightly yellowish or rosy, prone to acneRound face, full and fleshy cheeks, pale, oily under the skin, few wrinkles

6. Which of the following best describes your hair?Dry, frizzy, prone to split endsThin, sparse, straightThick, oily, dense

7. Which of the following best describes your eyes?Small, dull whites, rapid blinking, overactive eye movement, dry eyesMedium, penetrating, sharp and bright, prone to yellowing or redness of the whites, eye pain, acidic tears, sensitive to lightLarge, long eyelashes, overly moist, eyelid swelling (especially lower eyelid), excessive tearing

8. Which of the following best describes your nose?Bony, deviated septum, dry nasal mucosaMedium with slightly pointed tip, prone to nosebleeds or minor nasal injuriesLarge or fleshy with round tip, prone to runny nose, sneezing, seasonal allergies, weak sense of smell

9. Which of the following best describes your tongue? (Stick out your tongue and check in the mirror)Thin, small, dry, shaky, full of shallow and deep cracksMedium, with red edges, pointed tip, coated with yellowLarge (like a big spoon), pale, coated with white

10. Which of the following best describes your nails?Dry, rough, brittle, dull, with vertical ridgesPink, soft, shiny, flexibleRound, smooth, strong, thick

11. Which of the following best describes your preferred climate?Warm and humidColdWarm and dry

12. Which of the following best describes your body temperature?Cold hands and feet, feel cold easilyWarm, prone to sweaty hands and feetCold fingertips, nose, cold and moist skin, feel cold internally

13. Which of the following best describes your sweating? *Rarely sweat, low body moisture; if I sweat, it’s odorlessSweat a lot, strong and sharp odorDespite having moist body, I sweat little; may exercise for hours without sweating

14. Which of the following best describes your digestive issues?Prone to bloating, burping, and stomach swellingProne to acid reflux, heartburn, and indigestionProne to heaviness, prolonged fullness, and loss of appetite

15. Which of the following best describes your appetite? *My appetite fluctuates, sometimes very hungry, but a few bites make me feel fullAlways hungryLow appetite; can easily go hours without eating

16. Which of the following best describes your bowel movements?Prone to constipation and hard stoolsProne to loose stools and diarrheaUsually normal, daily bowel movements

17. Which of the following best describes your tone and way of speaking?Talkative, fast, fragmented, shaky, jumping from topic to topic, high-pitched voicePenetrating, direct, decisive, sometimes sharp, judgmental and sarcasticSlow, gentle, slightly lax, monotone, deep voice

18. Which of the following best describes your memory? *I remember things quickly but also forget them quicklyI have a good and reliable memoryI take time to remember things, but once I do, I rarely forget

19. Which of the following best describes your mental and emotional traits?Love movement, travel, adventure, full of excitement, creative, thrill-seekingConfident, decisive, disciplined, managerial, brave, competitive, risk-taking, leadership-oriented, punctualLoving, compassionate, patient, cautious, emotional

20. Which of the following best describes your emotional imbalances?Anxiety, restlessness, overactive mind, worryAnger, irritability, impatienceDepression, inertia

21. Which of the following do you experience more?Negative thoughts, fear, emptiness, loneliness, lack of focus, impatienceImpatience, perfectionism, need for attention, jealousy, selfishness, ambition, overly criticalLethargy, stagnation, laziness, over-dependence, low self-confidence, slow thinking, sense of incapacity

22. Which of the following best describes your sleep?Insomnia troubles me; light and short sleep; wake up at midnight and take hours to fall asleep againAverage sleep; falling asleep is somewhat difficult, but sleep feels satisfyingVery sleepy; hard to wake up in the morning and want to sleep constantly

23. Which of the following subjects appear most often in your dreams?I dream a lot; recurring themes: falling from heights, being thrown, running, being chased, attacked, death of loved ones, trapped, suffocation, snakes, flyingModerate dreaming; recurring themes: studying or teaching, exams, failing, arriving late, inappropriate clothing, being naked in public, fire, blood, insects like cockroaches, spiders, etc.Rarely dream or often forget dreams; recurring themes: water, snow, spring, swimming, overeating, finding money, sexual satisfaction in dreams, romantic and love-related dreams

Overall result

Number of responses 3

Number of responses 2

Number of responses 1