If you have trouble sleeping, you’ve probably tried all sorts of remedies. There’s no shortage of teas and supplements that promise a better night’s sleep. Some of them help people get to sleep, but what about people who have trouble staying asleep? Luckily, there’s a new method that has been proven to extend sleep time up to 90 minutes. The drink? Tart cherry juice.
The Research
According to researchers from Louisiana State University, drinking tart cherry juice can lead to an average of 84 minutes more sleep. The research tested 7 individuals with insomnia, having them drink the juice as well as a placebo. It found a notable increase in sleep among people who drank tart cherry juice. This research was first presented at the 2014 Experimental Biology seminar. The findings were recently backed up by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.
How Tart Cherry Juice Promotes Better Sleep
Among its many nutrients, tart cherry juice boasts high levels of tryptophan and melatonin. Melatonin is an essential hormone for staying asleep; tryptophan is an amino acid that promotes sleepiness. This sleep-promoting juice also contains proanthocyanidins, a red pigment that reduces inflammation. These are the properties that make tart cherry juice such an effective sleep aid.
Americans and Insomnia
It’s estimated that almost one-third of Americans over the age of 65 have insomnia. The medical definition of an insomniac is anyone who has trouble sleeping three or more nights a week. Many of these individuals choose to use pharmaceutical aid to sleep. Fortunately, it’s believed that tart cherry juice is an effective and safe alternative to prescription medicines.
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Tart Cherry Juice vs. Prescription Sleep Aids
For starters, tart cherry juice doesn’t have any of the dangerous side effects of sleeping pills. Elderly people who use sleeping pills have a higher risk of falling down and injuring themselves. At that age, a fall can be particularly dangerous-even life-threatening. Sleeping pills also have a high risk of dependency and addiction. Although you might love the flavor of tart cherry juice, you certainly won’t get addicted.
Other Health Benefits of Tart Cherry Juice
In addition to fighting insomnia, tart cherry juice also provides other health benefits. It’s packed with vitamins and a special type of phytonutrients, called “anthocyanins.” According to LiveStrong, some of the other health benefits of tart cherry juice include:
Protection against cancer
Lowered risk of heart disease
Prevention against muscle damage
Faster recovery from exercise
If you’re suffering from insomnia, or you can’t stay asleep, you owe it to yourself to try tart cherry juice to extend sleep time. Not only is the juice delicious and healthy, but it also has a host of other health benefits. In fact, you would have to eat an entire bag of cherries to get the same nutrients in a glass of tart cherry juice. Many scientific studies agree that cherry juice is an effective way to get to sleep and stay asleep longer.
