Notes from the Brew Room

And breathe

Ann King

This month in the Brew Room, we have been focusing on creating the optimum environment for a hazy, lazy evening— one that allows a blissful drift into good, deep, lasting sleep. The first steps are all about atmosphere and preparation. Wherever possible, follow a regular cycle of sleeping time and waking time, to enable your body to tap into its own circadian rhythm. During the eight to ten hours before bedtime, avoid further caffeine intake. Ensure your bedroom is a haven of relaxation, devoid of electronic devices with their detrimental blue light. Bring in a little posy of wildflowers, such as Poppy (Papaver spp.), Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), and Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), to gently and reassuringly echo the season's scents.

To deepen the sensory experience, use our Hazy Lazy Spritz as a room and pillow spray, before engaging in our Calming Breathwork practice. Round off the evening by sipping All Heal Golden Milk thirty minutes before going to bed. This combination of nervine relaxants and meditative breathing is a sensory lullaby, soothing you to sleep.

Hazy Lazy Spritz

There are several ways to make our signature blend herbal spritz, from creating a floral water using homegrown and dried herbs, to mixing a bespoke blend of your favourite relaxing essential oils. The latter method is the simplest— perfect for lazy days.

500ml of distilled or filtered water

30ml vodka or Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)

15 drops Lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia)

5 drops Rose essential oil (Rosa spp.)

5 drops Chamomile essential oil (Matricaria chamomilla)

Add all the ingredients to a spray bottle, and spritz as required.

Calming Breathwork

By consciously regulating our breathing patterns, focussing on structured inhalation and exhalation, we can calm down our autonomic and emotional responses. Each breath in and out should be five to six seconds in length, with a small pause of two to three seconds between the inhale and the exhale. Take around five minutes to perform fifteen to twenty cycles, and notice the difference in your relaxation levels.

All Heal Golden Milk

For a big batch:

25g Turmeric powder (Curcuma longa)

25g dried Valerian root

25g ground Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum)

¼ tsp ground Black Pepper (Piper nigrum)

Per serving:

½ tsp Coconut oil (Cocos nucifera)

150ml milk of your choice

Honey, to taste

Mix the dry ingredients, and store in a glass container. To prepare the Golden Milk, add your choice of milk and the Coconut oil to a pan, and stir gently. Add 1-2 teaspoons of the blended herb mix, heat gently for approximately ten minutes, then whisk. The resulting drink will be luxuriously creamy, and can be sweetened with honey if desired.

Disclaimer

No recipes are intended to replace medical advice and the reader should seek the guidance of their doctor for all health matters. The profiles and recipes are intended for information purposes only and have not been tested or evaluated. Ann King is not making any claims regarding their efficacy and the reader is responsible for ensuring that any replications or adaptations of the recipes that they produce are safe to use and comply with cosmetic regulations where applicable.