As a kid, I remember my mom warming up milk before bedtime. She said it helps to wind down and get some sleep. At night, I’d toss and turn. My brain couldn’t shut off. In yoga, we call that “monkey mind” and boy it is annoying (and stressful!). To help my own “monkey mind”, drinking milk with turmeric and other spices became my drink of choice and proved a total game changer. It is easy to make from very simple ingredients.
This recipe of sleep-inducing golden milk not only contains turmeric, the star ingredient, but also other spices which are beneficial for varied reasons.
Turmeric is an ancient spice and contains Curcumin, which has significant anti-inflammatory properties to promote joint and brain health. Unlike over-the-counter drugs, turmeric has no toxic effects on the body.
Piperine a compound found in black pepper, helps the body absorb turmeric/curcumin so it is important to pair these two ingredients together to get the full health benefits.
Ginger also has anti-inflammatory properties and can help calm the stomach. It is known to soothe sore muscles, relieve indigestion and nausea, and provide relief from menstrual cramps making sleep more attainable.
Nutmeg which has a high content of magnesium, an essential mineral in the body that reduces nerve tension, and even stimulates the release of serotonin, which creates a feeling of relaxation or sedation. This serotonin is changed to melatonin in
the brain, which is a sleep inducer, thus relieving people of their problems with insomnia.
Honey is soothing and is well-believed to promote relaxation. It’s also been shown to let tryptophan enter the brain more easily.
Cardamom boosts energy metabolism and helps the body burn more fat efficiently. Inhaling the sweet and soothing aroma of cardamom may help in treating sleep issues such as insomnia, restlessness, and anxiety. According to Ayurveda, cardamom is an important spice which is tridoshic which means that helps in balancing all the three doshas - Vatta, Pitta and Kapha in our body.
Cinnamon contains anti-inflammatory properties too. However, some people find the scent to be alerting or activating rather than calming and soothing. If you are one of these people, skip the cinnamon if you’re having your Golden Milk before bed.
Ingredients
1 mugful full fat milk or of your choice
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tsp honey
1 pinch black pepper
1 pinch Ground ginger
1 pinch ground cardamom
1 pinch Ground Nutmeg
Instructions
Add milk to a pan on medium heat. After a minute or two (when the milk is little lukewarm) add turmeric powder to it.
Then add all the spices and whisk it all together and bring to a low simmer for 5 minutes. You don't need to boil it but it should be nicely hot throughout.
Remove pan from heat, cover pan with a plate or lid and let it sit for another 5 minutes for the flavours to steep in.
Add honey and you may sprinkle with cardamom or cinnamon powder before serving.
Enjoy a good night sleep!!!
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