It’s been found that cherry juice can do wonders for those who may have trouble sleeping at night.
Recent research from Louisiana State University reveals that Montmorency tart cherry juice can help people get an extra 84 minutes of shut-eye. Cherries, which contain melatonin, have long been a subject for sleep researchers, hopeful the fruit will help insomniacs.
“Insomnia is quite common among older adults and it can lead to a range of health issues if left untreated,” said Jack Lasso, lead researcher of the study. The professor explained that although insomnia can cause an array of different health issues, many people are “hesitant” to use medicine to treat it and instead opting for natural remedies.
Published in the American Journal of Therapeutics, the study worked with subjects aged 50 and up. The randomized subjects have been diagnosed with chronic insomnia ― despite a “usual bedtime” between 9 pm and midnight, they had trouble sleeping at least 3 nights out of the week.
Each subject was given either a cherry-like placebo or cherry juice, which was later separated by a two-week-long washout. The subjects were then evaluated with polysomnography (“the gold standard” used to study sleep) and questionnaires, along with a number of other tests, to assess the effectiveness of the juice.
“In the end, researchers found that the juice effectively stopped the build-up of chemicals tied to poor sleep.”
In the end, researchers found that the juice effectively stopped the build-up of chemicals tied to poor sleep. Despite the small size of the study, it was found to reduce critical levels of kynurenine, an amino acid which is tied to sleep problems.
You can find more information about the study here.