Nutrition and Sleep
I've yet to encounter someone who doesn't wish for improved and more restful sleep, and I'm no exception. Of course, nutrition plays a role in the quality and duration of our slumber, and today, our focus will be on the influence of Tart Cherry Juice. Tart Cherry Juice has an impact on sleep, cortisol levels, inflammation, and athletic recovery.
Tart Cherry Juice is made from Montgomery Cherries, a sour type of cherry. It is full of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, and important vitamins and minerals. It also contains melatonin, a hormone created by the brain that works with your biological clock to cue sleep (1).The melatonin in Tart Cherry Juice increases the exogenous melatonin created by the body, this is also beneficial to support the “sleep wake cycle(2).” This can benefit the quality of your sleep and also the quantity(2).
Tart Cherry Juice has been shown to be beneficial for athletes, menopausal women, and healthy males and females.
In premenopausal and menopausal women, Tart Cherry Juice has been shown to “help with menopause related sleep disturbances(3),” as this is one of the many main symptoms of menopause.
There have been countless studies done on the impact of Tart Cherry Juice on athletes. Athletes who consume Tart Cherry Juice before bed have improved sleep quality(4). Improving sleep quality helps athletes improve their recovery process. Recovery is supported by sleep through 3 aspects: “sleep length, sleep quality, and sleep efficiency(5). Sleep does not only help with an athlete's recovery, it is also beneficial for healthy males and females.
Tart Cherry Juice has been shown to “increase circulating melatonin levels” and “improved sleep time and quality in healthy adults (5)” In the general population Tart Cherry Juice helps increase “total melatonin content, increase time in bed, increase total sleep duration, improve sleep efficiency, and decrease daytime napping (5).”
This all sounds great, right? Now you are thinking, “So what kind of Tart Cherry Juice should I be drinking?” Good question. Here are some Dietitian recommended Tart Cherry Juice brands:
Cheribundi: https://cheribundi.com/
Organic Tart Cherry Juice: Organic Tart Cherry Juice-Target
Juice Performer Tart Cherry Juice: https://juiceperformer.com/cherry-performer/juice/
Stanton Orchards https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/brands/stanton-orchards
Try drinking ~8-12 ounces of Tart Cherry Juice 1-2 hours before bed for the best results!
If you have questions about Tart Cherry Juice and how you should be drinking it, reach out to me!
Resources:
1- “Role of melatonin in the regulation of sleep.” Regulation of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms, 1999, pp. 207–222, https://doi.org/10.1201/9781420001211-10.
2- Gratwicke, Madeleine, et al. “Nutritional interventions to improve sleep in team-sport athletes: A narrative review.” Nutrients, vol. 13, no. 5, 2021, p. 1586, https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13051586.
3- Polasek, Dominik, et al. “Nutritional interventions in treating menopause-related sleep disturbances: A systematic review.” Nutrition Reviews, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuad113.
4- Chung, Jinwook, et al. “Effects of short-term intake of montmorency tart cherry juice on sleep quality after intermittent exercise in elite female field hockey players: A randomized controlled trial.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 16, 2022, p. 10272, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191610272.
5- Doherty, et al. “Sleep and nutrition interactions: Implications for athletes.” Nutrients, vol. 11, no. 4, 2019, p. 822, https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11040822.
