Having a warm glass of milk at bedtime has long been linked to helping you drift off to sleep. But according to some research, sipping tart cherry juice may also help you get better rest.
In one small 2018 study published in the American Journal of Therapeutics, researchers investigated the use of tart cherry juice for insomnia. They gave the juice to 11 adults over the age of 50 and found that drinking about 8 ounces twice a day helped people sleep for 84 minutes longer on average. Drinking tart cherry juice was also connected to improved sleep efficiency. That’s the total amount of time spent sleeping compared to the time spent in bed.
The people in the study sipped Montmorency tart cherry juice in morning. They did it again about one to two hours before bedtime. This lasted for two weeks. Montmorency cherries are a variety of sour cherries.
The Cherry Marketing Institute provided the cherry juice and helped fund the study. But the group (which is linked to the United States’ tart cherry industry) had no influence over the study design.
Melatonin in a glass?
Some researchers think that tart cherry juice promotes sleep because of its melatonin content. Melatonin is a hormone produced in the brain that helps regulate sleep. But it can also be found in some plant sources, including cherries. Montmorency tart cherries have six times the amount of melatonin than other types of cherries.
A 2022 study, published in the International Journal for Environmental Research and Public Health, investigated the use of Montmorency tart cherry juice in 19 female field hockey players. Even though it contained high levels of melatonin, the juice didn’t increase melatonin levels in the players. It was, however, linked to better sleep quality, including:
- Greater sleep efficiency
- Fewer and shorter awakenings after going to sleep
- Less movement during sleep
It may work for some, but not for all
Other research has shown mixed results on the use of tart cherry juice to improve sleep. One study of 44 healthy adults published in July 2022 in Nutrition and Health found drinking it made no difference in sleep length or quality.
More research is needed to explore the benefits of tart cherry juice. It may be that its melatonin content doesn’t fully explain its effect on sleep. For example, tart cherries also contain polyphenols. These are compounds found in plant foods that may help ease inflammation. They are thought to help boost the total time you spend sleeping. They may also be helpful for people with sleep disorders.
More studies are also needed to find out what kind of tart cherry juice might work best for promoting sleep. It may be that whole cherries work best.
If you try tart cherry juice daily for better rest, keep in mind that sweetened varieties will add more calories to your diet.
Sources: Losso JN, Finley JW, Karki N, et al. Pil... + 5
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- Burkhardt S, Tan DX, Manchester LC, et al. Detection and quantification of the antioxidant melatonin in Montmorency and Balaton tart cherries (Prunus cerasus). J Agric Food Chem. 2001;49(10):4898-4902.
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- Chung J, Choi M, Lee K. Effects of Short-Term Intake of Montmorency Tart Cherry Juice on Sleep Quality after Intermittent Exercise in Elite Female Field Hockey Players: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(16):10272. Published 2022 Aug 18.
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