Tart Cherries for Sleep
Feb. 22, 2021
Waking up well-rested seems like a dream for many people. From internet memes that joke about lack of sleep to studies showing that 40% of Americans get less sleep than they want - poor sleep quality is pervasive in our culture. Luckily, there’s both over-the-counter and all-natural supplements that help many people experience better sleep. In fact, many people don’t know that tart cherries contain a surprising secret to help us rest - naturally-occurring melatonin!
What is Melatonin?
When people talk about improving their sleep quality or length, melatonin is often the first supplement discussed. But, did you know that melatonin is naturally produced by our bodies? Melatonin is a hormone that helps your body control your daily sleep-wake cycles. Your body’s circadian rhythm and sunlight exposure determine how much melatonin your brain produces in a day. The amount of melatonin also fluctuates depending on the time of day - more melatonin at night makes you feel sleepy, and a drop in melatonin wakes you up in the morning.
Tart Cherries and Melatonin
In foods, naturally-occurring melatonin is relatively rare. That’s why most melatonin supplements are synthetically derived. Tart cherries are one of the exceptions, creating enough naturally-occurring melatonin for us to study the effects! In a carefully controlled pilot study, conducted at Louisiana State University, drinking Montmorency tart cherry juice every day resulted in 84 more minutes of sleep for those with chronic insomnia. They also reported higher quality sleep on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Wondering if tart cherries can help you if you don’t have insomnia? In a randomized controlled trial, 20 men and women with no reported sleep issues drank either a placebo beverage or tart cherry concentrate every day for one week. The group that drank the tart cherry concentrate slept for 40 minutes longer on average!
Tart is Smart
The sleep benefits of tart cherries are an exciting and scientifically-backed revelation that you can capitalize on. If your local grocery store is not carrying fresh tart cherries, we have tart cherry juice and concentrate options here at Shoreline Fruit. We make it easy for you to enjoy the crisp taste and numerous benefits of Montmorency tart cherries, because we believe in Better Living From the Land.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.
