Tart cherry juice may help increase your body’s melatonin levels, resulting in better quality sleep. However, more research is needed to confirm its effectiveness.
Tart cherry juice has been touted as a natural aid for improving sleep. This notion isn’t entirely without merit, as tart cherries contain melatonin. Melatonin is a naturally secreted hormone that regulates sleep cycles and helps the body transition into sleep.
Tart cherry juice also contains other ingredients, like tryptophan and antioxidants, which may affect the quality of your sleep.
This article examines tart cherry juice in more detail, including why it may help improve sleep quality and what the research has found regarding its effectiveness.
What’s In Tart Cherry Juice That May Help You Sleep?
Tart cherry juice is thought to be a safe and effective way to improve the amount of sleep you get each night. This theory is based on the following sleep-inducing ingredients found in tart cherries:
- Melatonin: Tart cherry juice contains melatonin, a naturally secreted hormone that regulates the body’s sleep cycles. Research from 2022 has found that supplements containing melatonin may increase the duration and quality of sleep.
- Tryptophan: Tryptophan is an amino acid that converts to serotonin and melatonin in your body. They can influence your mood, behavior, and sleep cycles.
- Antioxidants: Tart cherry juice is rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that can potentially reduce muscle aches and soreness, making you more comfortable during the night.
What Does Research Say About The Ability Of Tart Cherry Juice To Improve Sleep?
Until now, only four studies have looked at the effectiveness of tart cherry juice in improving sleep:
- In an early 2010 study, 15 adults over age 65 years with insomnia were asked to drink 1 cup of a tart cherry-apple juice blend or a placebo drink first thing every morning, then again 1 or 2 hours before bed. After 2 weeks, participants who drank the tart cherry juice scored slightly better on an index that measured the severity of their insomnia.
- In a 2012 study, 20 volunteers consumed either a placebo or tart cherry juice concentrate for 7 days. Researchers found that melatonin was significantly elevated in the cherry juice group, and they gained significant increases in sleep duration and quality.
- A 2-week 2018 study of 8 adults over age 50 years found that participants who drank 240 mililiters (mL) of tart cherry juice twice per day slept more than participants who drank the placebo.
- A 2022 study followed 19 elite female field hockey players over 5 days, dividing them into two groups. One group consumed 200 mL of tart cherry juice in the morning and 200 mL in the evening. The other group consumed the same quantity of a placebo. Researchers found that the group consuming tart cherry juice experienced improved sleep quality.
While these initial studies demonstrated positive changes in the quality of sleep for those who consumed tart cherry juice, larger and longer-term studies are still needed to confirm the effectiveness of tart cherry juice in improving sleep.
How Much Tart Cherry Juice Should You Drink If You Want To Try It For Yourself?
If you’re interested in seeing whether tart cherry juice can help improve your sleep, you can follow the doses used in the studies noted above.
Most of the research studies asked participants to consume two 8-ounce (240-mL) glasses of tart cherry juice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening.
Be sure to buy tart cherry juice without added sugar, as consuming sugar before bedtime can interfere with your sleep.
If you want to try tart cherry juice in a powder or pill form, you can take approximately 480 miligrams (mg) per day.
In the studies, benefits were mostly observed after 7 to 10 days of supplementing with tart cherry juice or powder. So, if you’re not seeing results after 2 weeks, you can assume it’s not working for you.
Precautions
Tart cherry juice is safe for most people. However, it does contain high amounts of sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that can cause stomach upset and diarrhea for some.
In addition, tart cherry juice also contains quercetin, a plant compound that may interact with certain medications, particularly blood thinners. If you’re currently taking medications, talk with a doctor before adding tart cherry juice to your diet.
Takeaway
While smaller, short-term studies have pointed to the benefits of tart cherry juice for improving sleep quality, larger and more long-term studies are needed to confirm its effectiveness.
If you’re having difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, talk with a doctor. They can determine what might be undermining your sleep quality and provide recommendations for improvement.
Important Notice: This article was originally published at www.healthline.com by The Healthline Editorial Team, where all credits are due. Medically reviewed by Thomas Johnson, PA-C
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