Between screens, anxiety, and cortisol, getting a good night's sleep has become an act of resistance. What if insomnia could be combated with flowers, spices, and a little honey?
How important is sleeping well? As important as eating well, exercising, or fostering spaces and rituals of self-love and love for others.
What if the remedy for better sleep wasn't in the pharmacy, but in the cupboard?
Just as we find nourishing foods in our pantry and refrigerator, we could also find the answer to restful sleep there, if only we kept "ancestral potions" of herbs and flowers that, with a little care and love, we could prepare for ourselves at nightfall; an infusion that relaxes us, lowers our anxiety, comforts us, looks beautiful, and tastes even better.
But before we talk about these potions, let's understand why we've lost the art of sleeping well, since insomnia has intensified with modern life. Why?
Imagine our great-great-grandmothers in their daily lives, caring for more than five children, without taps to turn on and bring clean water, or switches to light the house. Even more so, imagine them without the help of our modern appliances: the refrigerator that keeps our food fresh, the stove that, with the turn of a knob, provides fire to cook our meals, the wonderful washing machine that, with the push of a button, leaves our clothes clean, the toilet that, with the flush, carries away our waste, and many other household appliances and installations that make our lives easier. A typical day in their lives must have been exhausting! Surely their circadian rhythms were perfectly aligned; they fell asleep as soon as night fell and woke up with the rooster's crow at dawn—unless, of course, one of their children fell ill!
Our internal clock or circadian rhythm has been disrupted by modernity. The electric light that illuminates our nights and the beautiful blue screens that keep us glued to them until late at night also make sleep disorders more frequent, such as difficulty falling asleep, increased movement while sleeping, little deep sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, among others.
Around 40 million Mexicans suffer from one of these conditions, and yes, you guessed it, women and the elderly are the most affected. And if you have obesity, are going through menopause, suffer from depression, diabetes, hypertension, or Alzheimer's, you're sure to suffer from insomnia every other day.
The problem is that we don't have healthy habits throughout the day; it's not just what we do at the end of the day, but what we do from the moment we wake up. Recent studies indicate that drinking coffee within the first 90 minutes of waking inhibits adenosine—a substance that will eventually make you feel tired and help you sleep—from binding to brain receptors. Furthermore, the cortisol peak (normal upon waking) also increases if you consume caffeine upon waking, which obviously disrupts your circadian rhythm.
Now, let's talk about the magic of nature! Recently, drinks based on the ancient knowledge of Ayurveda—India's ancient medicine—called Moon Milks have emerged. Their purpose is to help you sleep better, but they're not just good for your body; they're beautiful, taste even better, and pamper both body and mind.
These Instagrammable drinks are made with milk (or dairy substitute), herbs, spices or flowers with sedative and relaxing properties proven over hundreds of years , and can also be sweetened with honey which enhances their calming and healthy effect.
I invite you to explore them by clicking here and discover the variety of flavors we have available; you're sure to find one that matches your tastes.
Also, if you want to learn more about them, I have a course at theTea Lovers Academy where I tell you much more about them and other holistic practices to help you sleep better and, of course, I teach you how to prepare some Moon Milks.
Sleeping well isn't a luxury. It's about reconnecting with your body, your natural cycles, and finding peace. And sometimes, it all starts with a cup of coffee.
As the English writer Thomas Dekker aptly stated: “Sleep is the golden chain that links health to our bodies.”
Olivia Medina
Tea Master, EURO TE
