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Fact or Trend: Does Tart Cherry Juice Help Sleep?
So, does tart cherry juice help you sleep? This article answers that question and explores other benefits of tart cherry juice for your health.
Whether short-term or chronic, insomnia is one of the most common causes of sleep deprivation in the world today. VeryWell Health states, "Roughly one-third of adults experience occasional insomnia at some point in their lifetime. It’s estimated that 1 in 10 people will develop chronic (or long-lasting) insomnia.(1)”
Tart cherry juice is a natural sleep aid that may help you improve the quality of your zzzs and then some. Research suggests that apart from sleep, it also benefits your health in other ways. These include helping your body recover after exercise and easing gout, to name a few.
This blog post will explore how and why it helps sleep and how to use it to improve your zzzs and overall health. Let’s get started.
Key Takeaways
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Research suggests that tart cherry juice improves sleep duration and quality by increasing melatonin levels, supporting sleep-wake cycle regulation.
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Tart cherry juice has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which help with muscle recovery and chronic conditions caused by inflammation.
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The daily intake of tart cherry juice varies, depending on your purpose and whether it’s in juice or concentrate form.
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Tart cherry juice has some potential side effects. The best practice is to consult your healthcare provider before adding it to your daily routine.
Table of Contents
Why Does Tart Cherry Juice Help You Sleep?
Just so you know, tart cherry juice and its link to sleep has been the subject of studies.
For example, a study published in the National Library of Medicine found that “Montmorency tart cherry juice has improved insomnia by self-report questionnaire.(2)” In case you’re wondering, Montmorency cherries are a variety of fruit that grows in the U.S., Europe and Canada.
Now, you’re likely wondering what’s in tart cherry juice that makes sleep kick in. The answer: melatonin. This hormone plays an essential role in sleep-wake cycle regulation. Its levels increase towards the evening because darkness triggers its release, signaling your brain that it’s time to unwind for bed.
A study published in Research Gate found that “consumption of a tart cherry juice concentrate provides an increase in exogenous melatonin that is beneficial in improving sleep duration and quality in healthy men and women and might be of benefit in managing disturbed sleep.(3)”
Besides melatonin, tart cherry juice is also rich in tryptophan. The human body uses tryptophan (also found in turkey and salmon) to produce serotonin (the happy hormone) and melatonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that also helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle.
What Are the Nutrients In Tart Cherry Juice?
Apart from helping insomniacs get the sleep they deserve, tart cherry juice is also packed with vitamins, nutrients and compounds, such as:
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Vitamin A is great for eye health, cell growth and immune function.
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Vitamin C is an antioxidant and helps support immune health and collagen production.
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Potassium promotes healthy blood pressure and nerve function and lowers your risk of stroke.
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Magnesium helps your body produce energy and supports bone health and nerve and muscle functions.
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Manganese helps the body form bones, heal wounds and metabolize fats, carbohydrates and proteins.
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Fiber is good for digestion, maintaining cholesterol levels, and weight management.
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Anthocyanins are anti-inflammatory antioxidants that support heart health.
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Zinc supports the immune system, protein synthesis and wound healing.
What Are the Benefits of Tart Cherry Juice for Sleep?
So, what exactly is tart cherry juice’s impact on sleep quality?
We mentioned it earlier, but we’ll do so again. Tart cherry juice contains melatonin, which regulates your sleep-wake cycle. By doing so, it contributes to the ease you have drifting off and staying asleep throughout the night.
Tart cherry juice is also a source of anthocyanins that reduce inflammation. In case you didn’t know, chronic inflammation can mess with your zzzs. If you suffer from gout, arthritis or fibromyalgia, for instance, you may have difficulty sleeping. The pain can keep you up or cause rude awakenings.
Sound Sleep Medical says, “Inflammation can even affect the sleep centers in your brain, and chronic inflammation from fibromyalgia can affect the functioning of your hypothalamus, making it very difficult for you to sleep at night.(4)”
Inflammation can also come from regular exercise. While not directly related to sleep, drinking tart cherry juice may also help your muscles recover.
Plus, the high content of antioxidants in tart cherry juice may also help lower oxidative stress, which can negatively impact your sleep patterns.
How to Add Tart Cherry Juice to Your Bedtime Routine
So, now you’re aware of the benefits and the science behind the tart cherry juice-sleep connection. Let’s explore how to incorporate it into your sleep routine.
How Much Tart Cherry Juice Should I Drink?
Before we dive into how much, it’s essential to clear the amount with your healthcare provider. You may have existing health conditions that need consideration. (We have a section on the potential side effects of tart cherry juice in this article, so keep reading.)
Typically, a tart cherry juice serving is 8 ounces. This serving should be a sufficient amount to drink daily. However, if you exercise regularly, consider drinking 10 to 12 ounces, according to WebMD(5).
Now, there are concentrated versions of tart cherry juice that you mix with water or as a supplement. If you take it as a capsule, shoot for 480 md daily. In its concentrated form, up to 60 ml a day. Again, the best dosage can be determined by your doctor.
When Should You Drink Tart Cherry Juice?
Timing depends on what you’re drinking tart cherry juice for.
If you’re drinking it for sleep, it’s best to do so an hour before bedtime. This time frame gives your body enough time to absorb the beneficial nutrients and compounds and may help you drift off faster.
If you’re drinking it for muscle recovery, take it right after you exercise.
How to Drink Tart Cherry Juice
The thing with tart cherry juice is it is what its name suggests: sour. Adding sweetener each time you drink also means increasing your sugar intake (not the best thing healthwise).
You can get creative and incorporate it into your meals. For instance, add it to your favorite smoothies or yogurt. (Think of it as drinking moon milk, the Internet trend that involves adding ashwagandha powder to hot milk for supposedly good zzzs.) Another idea is to add it to your salad dressing.
What’s Better: Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate or Regular Tart Cherry Juice?
You’re likely wondering what’s better: tart cherry juice or concentrate. It’s true that both contain all the beneficial nutrients and compounds. However, tart cherry juice concentrate is more potent.
Making tart cherry juice concentrate involves extracting much water from the juice. That’s why it’s a lot thicker in its concentrated form. You can expect a higher concentration of all the good stuff, like melatonin and anthocyanins.
It’s also a matter of convenience. Tart cherry juice concentrate is more portable. All you need to do is mix it with water. It also comes in supplement form. Meanwhile, the juice may be your best bet if you like the taste or adding it to your recipes.
How Does Tart Cherry Juice Compare to Other Natural Sleep Aids?
Tart cherry juice isn’t the only sleep aid available out there. Let’s see how it stacks up against other sleep remedies.
First up is Valerian root. This herb has been around for centuries and is popular for its sedating properties. Nowadays, it’s more commonly taken in supplement form. However, there aren’t conclusive studies on its effectiveness in improving sleep quality. Meanwhile, despite limited research, tart cherry juice shows promising results regarding insomnia relief and improved sleep time.
Another common sleep aid is Chamomile tea. It has a soothing smell and warmth. Plus, research suggests that it indeed helps with sleep. However, it doesn’t reduce the number of times you wake up at night. Also, the results vary from person to person. Based on studies, tart cherry juice can reduce the severity of insomnia and increase how long you stay asleep.
When it comes to sleep, the effectiveness of melatonin supplements is backed by more research than tart cherry juice. However, they’re synthetic. Tart cherry juice is a natural source of melatonin but is less potent.
It’s a question of preference. Just know that tart cherry juice is a whole-food source of melatonin. As mentioned in this article, it has other benefits, like aiding muscle recovery and inflammation. Also, it’s well-tolerated by the human body in general. (However, some exceptions are described in the next section.)
What Are Potential Side Effects of Tart Cherry Juice?
Tart cherry juice is generally considered safe for most people. However, it has its fair share of side effects and special considerations for others. Let’s explore.
The first thing to consider is interactions with certain medications. It’s not the tart cherry juice itself that poses a risk. It’s their melatonin content. So, it makes sense to err on the side of caution — if you’re taking medication that may interact with melatonin supplements. According to Health, these include anticoagulants, anticonvulsants, birth control pills and immunosuppressants, to name a few(6).
Tart cherry juice may cause abdominal discomfort, diarrhea and weight gain, according to OSF HealthCare(7). You can chalk up the tummy discomfort and diarrhea to the sorbitol in tart cherry juice. Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol that, when consumed in large quantities, can cause cramps and diarrhea. As for weight gain, some sour cherry juice brands contain lots of sugar.
Another thing to consider is allergies. It may be a sorbitol intolerance or just a plain allergy to cherries. It’s rare, but if you experience any allergic reactions to tart cherry juice, speak to your healthcare provider.
Conclusion: Is Tart Cherry Juice the Sleep Solution for You?
Now that you have all the information, we hope we’ve answered your question: “Does tart cherry juice help you sleep?” While research is still limited, there’s evidence that it shows promise as a sleep aid. All you need to do is give it a shot, whether in regular juice or concentrate form.
Tart cherry juice has other health benefits besides potentially easing insomnia symptoms and improving sleep duration. Its anti-inflammatory properties may help with conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia and gout. It may also help with muscle recovery, especially if you exercise regularly.
However, before you take a sip, make sure to take note of the potential side effects of tart cherry juice listed in this article. When in doubt, speak to your healthcare provider. It’s also worth noting that tart cherry juice isn’t a replacement for good sleep hygiene. A consistent sleep-wake schedule, a relaxing bedtime routine, and an excellent sleep mask or other sleep add-ons are ways to get better zzzs.
Let us know if drinking tart cherry juice for sleep works for you by leaving a comment below. Happy sipping and sleeping!
Sources:
(1) "Insomnia Facts and Statistics: What You Need to Know.” VeryWell Health, www.verywellhealth.com/insomnia-facts-and-statistics-5498718. Accessed 25 November 2024.
(2) “Pilot Study of Tart Cherry Juice for the Treatment of Insomnia and Investigation of Mechanisms.” National Library of Medicine, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5617749/. Accessed 25 November 2024.
(3) “Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality.” Research Gate, www.researchgate.net/publication/51753100_Effect_of_tart_cherry_juice_Prunus_cerasus_on_melatonin_levels_and_enhanced_sleep_quality. Accessed 25 November 2024.
(4) “Is there a Connection between Sleep and Inflammation?” Sound Sleep Medical, www.soundsleepmedical.com/blog/is-there-a-connection-between-sleep-and-inflammation/. Accessed 25 November 2024.
(5) “Tart Cherry Juice: Is It Good for You?” WebMD, www.soundsleepmedical.com/blog/is-there-a-connection-between-sleep-and-inflammation/. Accessed 25 November 2024.
(6) “Does Tart Cherry Juice Really Help With Sleep?” Health, www.health.com/tart-cherry-juice-sleep-7110056. Accessed 25 November 2024.
(7) “Tart cherry juice benefits: Do they live up to the hype?” OSF Healthcare, www.osfhealthcare.org/blog/tart-cherry-juice-benefits-do-they-live-up-to-the-hype/. Accessed 25 November 2024.
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