Drinking moon milk at bedtime can benefit your health; here’s how

Moon milk is made with Ayurvedic herbs and plants also known as adaptogens.

By: Lifestyle Desk
New Delhi | June 26, 2020 08:50 PM IST

2 min read

Moon milk can improve sleep quality. (Source: medvedeva_fotograf/Instagram)

You have heard about the Ayurvedic benefits of having turmeric milk before going to bed at night. But there is another kind of milk, which if sipped daily before bedtime, can help you sleep better, say experts.

We are talking about “moon milk”, which is milk with Ayurvedic herbs and plants also known as adaptogens.

Health benefits of moon milk

Among the herbs in moon milk is ashwagandha, known to have positive effects on the endocrine, cardiopulmonary, and central nervous systems, with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Studies have found ashwagandha to reduce stress and anxiety in adults, inducing sleep. One such study published in Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine stated it improves the general well-being of adults who are under stress.

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Ashwagandha also improves sleep quality and sleep onset latency (the amount of time taken to fall asleep after lights are turned off) in people with insomnia, as per a 2019 study in Cureus.

Other ingredients for moon milk include cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and honey, each of which have several health benefits.

Ayurvedic herbs in moon milk also help in boosting immunity by enhancing natural killer cells, an important aspect of the innate immune response to infections, according to a 2010 study published in Phytotherapy Research.

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How to make moon milk

Try this recipe for moon milk:

Ingredients

1 cup – Milk of choice (whole, almond, coconut, etc.)
½ tsp – Ground ashwagandha powder
½ tsp – Ground cinnamon
¼ tsp – Ground ginger
Ground nutmeg (A pinch)
1 tsp – Coconut oil
1 tsp – Honey

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Method

* Heat milk in a pan and bring it to a simmer.

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* Whisk ashwagandha, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in the milk. Let it simmer for about five minutes.

* Stir in the coconut milk.

* Now pour the moon milk in a cup and sweeten it with honey and drink it before going to bed.

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