If counting sheep isn’t doing the trick, your new bedtime buddy might just come in a bottle — and no, we’re not talking about sleeping pills. Tart cherry juice is quietly making a name for itself as the sleepytime superstar in the wellness world. It sounds too simple to work, but the science-backed buzz says otherwise.
According to Healthline, tart cherry juice — especially from Montmorency cherries — contains natural melatonin, the hormone your brain produces to help regulate sleep-wake cycles. Add in its antioxidant richness and anti-inflammatory properties, and you’ve got a drink that’s both soothing and smart, suggests the above source.
A study featured by the Sleep Foundation revealed that adults who drank tart cherry juice twice a day for two weeks enjoyed longer sleep and felt more rested than those who didn’t. Another research piece in the American Journal of Therapeutics supports this, suggesting that the juice helps boost melatonin levels naturally, making it easier to fall and stay asleep.
Of course, this isn’t a miracle sip. If your bedtime routine includes staring at blue-light screens until midnight or stressing over tomorrow’s to-do list, tart cherry juice can only do so much. However, when paired with wind-down rituals like stretching or reading, it is can be a sweet (and tangy) addition.
Just be sure to choose 100% tart cherry juice with no added sugars — or go for concentrate if you’re watching your intake. Either way, this bright-red elixir might just become your new nightcap. Sweet dreams.
