Does Tart Chery Juice Help You Sleep?
Lindsay Knake
| 4 min read
Lindsay Knake is a brand journalist for Blue Cross B...
Key Takeaways
- Small clinical trials suggest tart cherry juice may modestly extend sleep time—by about 84 minutes in one study of older adults with chronic insomnia—and improve sleep efficiency, likely due to its melatonin and tryptophan content.
- The amount of melatonin in a typical serving of tart cherry juice is far lower than that in over‑the‑counter melatonin supplements, so any benefit is modest and not a substitute for proven sleep aids.
- While generally safe, tart cherry juice can add sugar, may interact with blood‑thinners because of quercetin, and is not regulated in supplement form; consumers should choose unsweetened juice and consult a primary care provider before using it for sleep.
Whether it’s the Sleepy Girl Mocktail or just a cup of juice, you may have heard about tart cherry juice for sleep.
As more than 60 million Americans struggle with getting enough quality sleep, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, it can be tempting to turn to something like tart cherry juice. But does it help? Let’s look at the research and evidence about tart cherry juice for sleep.
Does tart cherry juice help with sleep?
Tart cherry juice, particularly made from Montmorency cherries, may help with sleep, per a few small research studies.
This juice, according to the Cleveland Clinic, contains:
- Melatonin, a hormone the body naturally produces to regulate your sleep-wake cycle
- Tryptophan, an essential amino acid that helps the produce melatonin
- Magnesium, a nutrient that aids in muscle and nerve function and regulating blood pressure and blood sugar
A couple of small studies have found drinking tart cherry juice before bed helped the participants with sleep duration and quality, particularly if they had insomnia. Tart cherry juice could increase melatonin and tryptophan levels in the body, which may aid with sleep.
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial looked at eight people age 50 and older who had chronic insomnia and who didn’t have sleep apnea. The participants drank 240ml of either cherry juice or a placebo an hour or two before bed for 14 days, and then they swapped and took the cherry juice or placebo for another 14 days. Participants experience an average improvement in sleep time of about 84 minutes with tart cherry juice compared to the placebo. Tart cherry juice may help improve sleep efficiency and increase the availability of tryptophan in the body, per the study.=
Another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study looked at the consumption of Montmorency cherry juice in 20 volunteers for seven days and found those who drank cherry juice had more melatonin in their system and had improvements in sleep time and efficiency.
These studies, however, are very small and short-term. More research is needed to determine whether tart cherry juice can support better sleep.
Tart cherry juice contains a small amount of melatonin; 0.135 micrograms per 100 grams of juice, which is a much lower dose than a melatonin supplement of 1 to 5 milligrams, per the National Sleep Foundation. Tryptophan is necessary for sleep, but it’s unlikely to make you immediately sleepy, according to the Sleep Foundation.
What to know before you try tart cherry juice for sleep
If you decide to try tart cherry juice, there are a few things to keep in mind. While tart cherry juice is generally safe for most people, choose tart cherry juice without added sugar or sweeteners. Those with Type 2 diabetes should monitor their sugar intake. The fruit also contains quercetin, which may interfere with medications such as blood thinners, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Cherries may also cause issues for people with gastrointestinal conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome.
Talk to your primary care provider (PCP) if you have any of these conditions and want to try tart cherry juice for sleep.
Tart cherry juice gummies and capsules are also available, but these supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and may not contain the dose listed on the label. Talk to your PCP before taking any new supplements.
Sleep hygiene habits
While drinking tart cherry juice may help some people with better sleep, healthy habits are key for improving your sleep. Here are some sleep hygiene tips:
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time, even on weekends.
- Make sure your bedroom is quiet and dark (blackout curtains and/or a sleep mask can help) and is at a cool temperature.
- Remove electronic devices like TVs, computers and smart phones, from the bedroom or turn them all off two hours before bedtime.
- Avoid large meals, caffeine and alcohol for a few hours before bedtime.
- Get regular exercise during the day, which can help make it easier for you to fall asleep at night.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Read more:
