Are you one of the millions of Americans who has trouble sleeping? Americans spend approximately $84 million dollars a year on sleep aids each year. One concern of sleep aids is dependency, as many find that once they start taking sleeping pills, they find that they cannot sleep without them.
You, like countless of others, may have tried more “natural” remedies to lull yourself to sleep, such as drinking warm milk or tea before bed, or filling your bedroom with the scent of lavender, which is said to aid sleep. However, there may be a new contender in helping you slip into a peaceful slumber: tart cherry juice.
A study at Northumbria University has shown that drinking two servings of tart cherry juice improves sleep behaviors. Individuals drank the juice when they first woke up and before they went to bed for a week and had their sleep habits tracked. Those same individuals did the same experiment with a non-cherry juice drink, and compared results. Turns out drinking the juice help them sleep longer during the night, decreased their daytime napping, and increased their sleep efficiency.
Researchers accredit this to the high amounts of melatonin in tart cherries. You’ve probably heard of melatonin before- it’s the powerful hormone that plays a major role in sleep cycle regulation. The level of melatonin in the cherry juice is relatively high, which would explain the improved level of sleep.
This is good news for those who suffer from sleeping disorders, or even those who go through periods where they just can’t seem to get a good night’s sleep. Drinking tart cherry juice is not only more affordable than medication, but it also reduces the risk of dependency. While more research will need to be done before using them as a sole treatment for disorders, it is definitely an option worth trying!
I love adding frozen tart cherries to a smoothie with a chocolate grass-fed whey protein powder and 1% organic milk. It’s my Chocolate Covered Cherry Smoothie and delicious. For more information about the health benefits of tart cherries visit www.ChooseCherries.com.
Assistance Provided by Tori Thompson
