When restful nights are few and far between, we recommend trying natural sleep aids. This Good Night Tonic recipe from CONTENT friend and chocolatier, Laura Coxeter. The blend of natural supplements and ingredients help to regulate your circadian rhythm and induce sleep.
Sleep Aid Ingredients & Method:
First, to start your Good Night Tonic, warm a cup of oat milk (or milk of choice) in a milk pan and let 4-5 Chamomile flowers infuse whilst it warms up over a gentle heat. Do not boil- use your finger to test the temperature.
Place the following in your cup:
- 2 tsp Mediterranean Carob Powder
- 1 tsp Peruvian Carob Powder (Algarroba)
- 1/4 -1/2 tsp Ashwagandha Powder
- 1/4 -1/2 tsp Mucuna Powder
- A little Organic Vanilla (ideally scrape seeds from a pod or use 1/5 tsp of a good quality paste)
- 1 heaped tsp Grass-Fed Collagen Powder *optional
Strain half of the milk into your cup and use a handheld milk frother to make a paste. Froth the remaining milk in the pan and pour it into your cup. Oat Milk is a good choice as oats contain Melatonin, which helps regulate the body’s internal clock. They are also a good source of Tryptophan, an amino acid which increases Serotonin in the body. Serotonin is a precursor to Melatonin.
Benefits of this Sleep Aids Tonic
This natural sleep aid is full of hard-working natural ingredients to help induce sleep and promote wellbeing. Read on for a detailed breakdown of the benefits of each ingredient.
Mucuna Pruriens contain high levels of naturally occurring L-dopa, which is the precursor to Dopamine. Dopamine is a very important neurotransmitter which plays a big role in sleep, memory, mood and calming the nervous system.
Carob is naturally sweet and a good alternative to Cacao if you want something similar to chocolate before bed, without the stimulating effects. It is also high in Calcium and Antioxidants.
Peruvian Carob Powder (Algarroba) has a unique malty, Butterscotch flavour -it also pairs really well with Cacao! It is high in minerals such as Iron and Magnesium and low GI (Glycemic Index).
Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb, often referred to as ‘Indian Ginseng’. It may help reduce the effects of mental, emotional and physical stress as well as supporting the Immune System. We recommend using this one from Wunderworkshop.
Collagen- particularly Grass-Fed Collagen – is exceptionally rich in the amino acid Glycine. A protein which has been linked to improvements in deep sleep. It has been reported that people generally feel less fatigued the day after consuming it. That’s why we think it’s a great addition to this natural sleep tonic!
Lastly, Vanilla contains powerful antioxidant properties which can help to neutralise free radicals in the body.
You can find more about Laura along with her delicious chocolate creations at www.launette.co.uk and follow her journey on Instagram at @Launette.
Let us know below if you try this recipe or use other natural sleep aids and tag us in your Instagram pictures recreating it (@contentbeauty)!
Further recipes
Raw Cacoa and Rasberry Cupcakes| Quinoa Vegan Hot Chocolate | Alternative Pancakes
