The Benefits of Eating Cherries Before Bed for Better Sleep

Around one third of American adults experience acute insomnia or temporary insomnia, bouts of sleeplessness that last for a few days at a time.

One in ten experiences what is termed chronic insomnia, where sleeplessness lasts for three months or more, at least three nights a week. That’s about 25-30 MILLION Americans that are tossing and turning in their beds at any given nighttime, desperate for sleep. (1)

The search for an effective natural sleep aid has never been more important, and we’re going to look at one that holds a lot of promise - the humble cherry.

Introduction to Cherries and Sleep

Cherries are not just a delicious fruit but also a powerhouse of health benefits, including the potential to improve sleep quality.

That’s because they are a natural source of melatonin, the all-important ‘sleep hormone’. Even better, they are also a strong source of tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the body to create serotonin that is then converted into more melatonin. (2) Win, win!

Consuming tart cherries or tart cherry juice may lead to longer and better sleep, making it a great addition to your night-time routine.

Let's take a look at why and what type of cherries you should eat...

What Type of Cherries Should You Eat for Better Sleep Quality?

If you’re going to start taking cherry products before bed, you need to make sure you’re consuming the right kind of cherry, whether as juice, extract, concentrate or supplement. Not all cherries contain the same amount of melatonin or tryptophan.

For example, tart cherries (scientific name Prunus cerasus) - the bright red cherries with the slightly sour taste - have more melatonin and tryptophan than sweet cherries. (3)

Of the different varieties of tart cherries, studies have shown that Montmorency cherries are among the highest in melatonin. (4)

How Does Melatonin Influence Our Sleep?

I called melatonin the ‘sleep hormone’ earlier because it plays a significant role in our ability to get to sleep and to stay asleep. If you suffer from sleep disorders, it may be because your body isn’t making enough melatonin or making it at the wrong time.

Our bodies make melatonin naturally, created by the pineal gland in the brain. The pineal gland’s function is to receive information about light and dark in the environment and use these triggers to make melatonin at the right time.

Hence it makes more melatonin at night when it starts to get dark, and less during daylight hours.

The release of melatonin is a signal to the body and brain that it’s time to slow down and get ready for sleep. It’s part of our internal alarm clock, if you will.

This is known as the circadian clock or circadian rhythm - our internal 24-hour clock that regulates our sleep-wake cycle according to the light changes in our environment. (5)

If this clock works as it should, then sleep shouldn’t be an issue. But when it gets disrupted… that’s when you may have problems.

What Can Disrupt the Sleep-Wake Cycle?

Quite a few things can disrupt the all-important sleep-wake cycle. They include:

• Ageing. Our bodies naturally produce less melatonin as we age. (6)

• Shift work

• Travel and jet lag

• Certain medical or mental health conditions

• Lifestyle factors, such as drug use or caffeine and alcohol use before bed.

• Lack of natural light during the day

• Blue light at night from TV screens, tablets, and telephones.

• Being a new parent, struggling with sleep interruptions and exposure to light at night while feeding.

• Hormones. A woman's hormones during pregnancy, childbirth and menopause can impact the sleep-wake cycle.

• Statistics show that men are more likely to suffer from advanced sleep-wake phase disorder (struggling to sleep during normal hours) than women. (7)

Cherries and Sleep Research

Research on the effects of cherries and cherry juice on sleep has shown promising results. There have been numerous clinical studies carried out on tart cherries that demonstrate their potential as a natural sleep aid. They have been shown to:

1. Improve sleep efficiency, or the percentage of time you’re asleep while in bed.

2. Improve total sleep time.

These results were seen in all age groups.

One study investigating the impact of tart cherry juice on sleep quality concluded that tart cherry concentrate provided a significant increase in melatonin. This was beneficial ‘in improving sleep duration and quality in healthy men and women and might be of benefit in managing disturbed sleep.’ (8)

The anti-inflammatory properties of tart cherries may also play a role in improving sleep quality.

More research is welcome to confirm the long-term benefits of cherries for sleep.

Sleep Benefits for Older Adults

A meta-analysis or systematic review of several sleep studies highlighted that taking tart cherry juice beverage before bed improved total sleep time by 84 minutes in older adults with insomnia. (9, 10)

How Many Cherries Should You Eat for a Better Night's Sleep?

There is no official recommended serving size if you want to eat tart cherries for sleep.

Clinical trials tend to use approximately 30ml of concentrated tart cherry juice but that's a big amount, equal to almost 100 cherries.

You likely don't need that much. Nor should you try to eat that much, as it may come with digestive issues. (11)

Instead, experts recommend starting small with half a cup of frozen or fresh cherries, or 4oz/ 120ml of tart cherry juice one hour before bed. (12)

Which Is Better for Sleep - Fresh Cherries or Cherry Juice?

Studies seem to show that both fresh tart cherries and tart cherry juice are equally effective at raising melatonin levels and aiding sleep. It comes down to personal preference.

Some people don't like the sour taste of the juice and worry it has too much sugar. They prefer unprocessed fresh cherries. For others, eating that many cherries may be inconvenient and juice is quicker. It's worth doing your research.

There is also another option. If the idea of eating cherries before bed isn't appealing or you don't want to drink before sleep - we don't need any more night-time trips to the toilet, do we? - you can choose to take a quality tart cherry supplement instead.

Choose a Natural Tart Cherry Supplement

Performance Lab Sleep is a natural sleep aid that:

1. Provides a natural low-dose source of melatonin from Montmorency tart cherries

2. Adds tryptophan to help the body create its own melatonin

3. Includes lemon balm, a calming herb, long used to reduce stress and anxiety and promote sleep. (13)

4. Adds magnesium to help relax muscles and nerves before sleep.

The combination of these four ingredients holds a lot of promise for improved sleep.

Experience the world's most advanced natural sleep formula.

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Other Health Benefits of Cherries

Cherries are considered a superfood because they're crammed full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making them a powerful addition to a healthy diet for overall health and well-being.

Sour cherries are a good source of vitamin C and other essential nutrients, such as vitamins A and B6, as well as fiber, magnesium, and potassium. Indeed, tart cherries contain 20 times more vitamin A than sweet cherries. (14)

Cherries contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatories which may offer protective effects and decrease inflammation. They may also support the immune system and reduce heart disease and cardiovascular disease risk factors. As well as lower blood pressure. (15, 16)

Exercise Recovery and Cherries

Exercise can often lead to muscle soreness and inflammation, which can disrupt your sleep. However, consuming tart cherry juice or cherry powder has been shown to reduce muscle soreness and improve exercise recovery. The anti-inflammatory properties of tart cherries help reduce inflammation, which in turn may improve sleep quality.

A study found that drinking sour cherry juice before and after exercise reduced muscle damage and enhanced recovery. This means that incorporating cherries into your diet may not only help you sleep better but may also aid in faster recovery from workouts. (17, 18)

Are Cherries Safe to Eat Before Bed?

For most people, cherries will be safe to eat before bed. Anyone with an allergy, of course, will need to avoid them. People with certain medical conditions such as kidney disease may also need to be cautious. Please speak to your doctor first if you are on any medications or have any medical conditions.

Be careful also about added sugars in tart cherry fruit juice that may increase your calorie intake. And finally, be sure to eat them in moderation.

Eating too many can cause unpleasant digestive issues. Current evidence suggests that they are generally safe to eat in moderation. If you’re at all worried, opt for a tart cherry supplement with safe amounts of natural melatonin.

Final Thoughts

It seems too simple to say that eating tart cherries or drinking tart cherry juice before bed may help improve sleep quality, but studies show that it’s true. Eating cherries before bed may help contribute to a good night's sleep by improving sleep quality and duration.

So, before you reach for synthetic sleep aids, maybe give it a try. Alternatively, you may want to opt for a natural sleep supplement like Performance Lab Sleep for added convenience.