Healthy Bits · Nutrition & wellness
Tart cherries and sleep
Tart cherries, often sold as Montmorency cherries, contain a little natural melatonin, the hormone that helps signal your body that it's time to sleep. Small studies suggest tart cherry juice may modestly improve sleep time and quality for some people. The cherries are also rich in anthocyanins, antioxidants studied for easing exercise soreness.
It isn't a sleeping pill, but it can be a pleasant part of a calming evening routine.
Try this: about an hour before bed, stir 2 tablespoons of unsweetened tart cherry concentrate into a mug of warm or sparkling water. Check the label for added sugar, and keep the serving small, since the concentrate is naturally rich in fruit sugar.
- sleep
- antioxidants
- soreness
Healthy Bits are for general education and aren’t medical advice. Check with your doctor or healthcare provider before making changes, especially if you’re pregnant or nursing, take medication, or are managing a health condition.