Relaxing Lavender Drink

Text, photo and recipe by Paula Reyes Gamba

For the past year, I've been trying to establish a sleep routine to improve my sleep. An hour before bed, I put my phone away, avoid screens, and gradually signal to my body that it's time to rest. However, some nights, for various reasons, it's a bit more difficult. On those nights, I turn to my magic potion.

This drink is great not only for helping you fall asleep, but also for warming you up, and its sweet, mild flavor is very comforting. It's not a magic cure for insomnia, but it does help you enter a state of relaxation that eventually leads to sleep.

It's very easy to make, and you only need a few ingredients.

• 1 cup of your preferred milk (I use oat milk)
• 1 teaspoon of lavender
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Sweetener to taste (I use half a teaspoon of honey)
• A pinch of cinnamon

Method

Start by heating (without boiling) the milk in a saucepan until small bubbles form on the surface. Then, add the lavender to a tea infuser and let it steep for 5 minutes. After this time, add the vanilla, your preferred sweetener, and a pinch of cinnamon. I use a milk frother like this one to mix everything together and create a frothy texture.

And that's it! In just a few minutes you have a relaxing drink to end the day.