Tart cherry juice can help you fall asleep more easily, improve the quality and duration of sleep. The effects of the juice may be due to the fact that cherries contain compounds that help create melatonin.
According to the Sleep Foundation, the positive effect of tart cherry juice on sleep can be due to its content of tryptophan and melatonin . “Melatonin is a sleep hormone secreted at certain times of the day to help the body transition to sleep.”
The body uses tryptophan to help make melatonin and serotonin . The United States National Library of Medicine explains that melatonin helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle.
An investigation published in 2012 in the European Journal of Nutrition notes that the consumption of a tart cherry juice concentrate provides an increase in exogenous melatonin which is beneficial in improving the duration and quality of sleep in healthy men and women and could be beneficial in controlling sleep disorders.
One trial published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, found that tart cherry juice showed greater effectiveness in reducing insomnia than valerian and melatonin , two of the most widely used and studied natural products to treat insomnia.
Healthline shares that study participants suffering from insomnia drank 16 ounces (480 ml) of cherry juice ag He laughed every day for two weeks and his sleep time increased by an average of 85 minutes.
Tart cherries can not only help you sleep better, they are also a rich source of polyphenols and vitamin C that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Compared to sweet cherries, tart cherries contain 20 times more vitamin A and Its antioxidant levels are up to five times higher.
If you choose to drink cherry juice, opt for juice without added sugar. The specialized health site WebMD indicates that cherry juice is high in sugar and drinking it every night could significantly increase your calorie intake. Suggest that eating cherries instead of drinking their juice is a healthier way to get melatonin.
Other foods that can promote your sleep:
1. Bananas
Bananas contain nutrients that together promote sleep, relax your body and brain : magnesium, tryptophan, vitamin B6, carbohydrates and potassium. Each of these components works to reduce insomnia and sleep better.
For nutritionist Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, A banana with peanut butter is the best snack for better sleep , as shared via Well + Good.
2. Milk
It contains four compounds that promote sleep: tryptophan, calcium, vitamin D and melatonin. Whole milk is one of the greatest sources of tryptophan. Provides 732 milligrams per quart. 2% reduced fat milk provides 551 milligrams of tryptophan per quart.
3. Egg
Eggs contain tryptophan and melatonin. According to WebMD, among animal products, eggs are one of the best sources of melatonin.
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