It is called “Moon Milk” or “moon milk” in French…
The air is heavy, the sheets are damp, we ruminate and toss and turn in bed: few people sleep well when it’s hot… However, there are several natural solutions to cool down before going to bed and fall asleep more quickly.
First of all, it involves good hydration. And contrary to what you might think, drinking hot refreshes more than drinking cold.This is a rather paradoxical idea. A cold liquid will feel like it cools the entire body, but it doesn’t actually cool it because it reduces sweating. On the other hand, as soon as a warm liquid comes into contact with the body’s temperature receptors, the brain tells the body to produce more sweat, which cools the surface of the skin, making us feel cooler.” explains Ollie Jay, a researcher at the University of Ottawa’s School of Human Kinetics in a study comparing body temperature after drinking several drinks. During the day, coffee or tea are still better options than an iced drink. But when it’s time to go to bed, you should opt for another drink, a sweet and creamy one.
Made popular by Ayurvedic expert Gina Fontana, this drink is called “Moon Milk.” In addition to having a pretty pink-purple color, this simple and quick-to-prepare drink makes it easier to fall asleep.Its sedative effect is due to its high content of apigenin, a nutrient that reduces anxiety, promoting a feeling of relaxation and sleep.“, she specifies to Stylist UK. It is naturally rich in magnesium, a mineral that enhances the tryptophan, an amino acid precursor to serotonin (the happy hormone) and melatonin (the sleep hormone). Also in B vitamins, calcium, iron, zinc and potassium which all help regulate brain activity, relax muscles and increase the secretion of sleep-inducing compounds such as melatonin.
To prepare this drink, nothing could be simpler: just infuse 1 sachet of chamomile herbal tea in 250 ml of hot or warm unsweetened almond milk, add 1 teaspoon of lavender dried food grade lavender (lavender is particularly high in apigenin) and if needed, 2 tablespoons of honey (or maple syrup, if you are following a vegan diet) or 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract for an unsweetened version.
Some recipes suggest adding cardamom or ashwagandha powder, which are also said to have sedative properties.