Forget pills, gummies, and side effects. What if you could drink your way to better sleep (and this doesn’t mean alcohol—which actually causes the opposite effect)? Following a 2018 study published by Louisiana State researchers, tart cherry juice has become the go-to option for those in the know looking for an all-natural solution. Recently, a Well + Good columnist, Maki Yazawa, tried it out for herself after following various influencers on #SleepTok. Thousands of people are singing the praises of tart cherry juice on the social platform, and after doing a little research Yazawa says, “While it may sound too good to be true, there is quite a big amount of validity backing the fact that this fruit juice can help you get better quality shuteye.”
Tart cherry juice was tested in a small group of people over 50 years old. Each were given about one cup of either a placebo or cherry juice twice a day for two weeks. This was followed by a two-week flush-out. The researchers found that cherry juice increased sleep efficiency and sleep time. Yazawa set out on her own two-week trial to see how a tart cherry drink would help her with sleep and muscle recovery. “The results pleasantly surprised me,” she says.
A Juicy Night’s Sleep
Tart cherries, and specifically Montmorency tart cherries, help with sleep because they have a natural anti-inflammatory effect. At the same time, the natural tryptophan in tart cherries, which is relatively slight, can interact with enzymes in the body to improve mood and increase serotonin as well. This can help with insomnia and ease the body into sleep mode. The drinkable option Sip2Sleep® adds in the benefit of Venetron®, which is derived from plants and acts as an organic anxiety reducer. This makes it an even more powerful option than tart cherry juice alone, but still with no risk of dependency or side effects. Yazawa was interested in getting more sleep and helping with her workout recoveries.
The anti-inflammatory polyphenol compounds found in tart cherry juice are known to aid in this, lessening pain from muscle soreness and speeding up strength recovery. It works by minimizing blood markers for oxidative stress after endurance workouts and strength training. Yazawa took a two-ounce shot of cherry juice one hour before bedtime for 14 days. This is not the same dosage as the initial study, but for her it was all she could handle—pointing out that tart cherry juice is, well, tart.
In order to make it more drinkable, she often diluted it with water or drank it earlier in the night. It should be noted that there are many tart cherry juice options on the market, each touting different dosages and health benefits. However, only Sip2Sleep® combines Montmorency cherry juice with Venetron® and comes with a recommended dosage to get the best night’s sleep. Choosing your own dosage or diluting it can lessen the effects.
The Cherry on Top of Sleep
For Yazawa, even when concocting her own regimen, she reports, "I did find that my sleep was pretty consistent throughout the trial. I didn’t have too much trouble falling asleep (once I disconnected from all of my electronics, that is) and only woke up in the middle of the night to use the restroom four times in the span of two weeks. Although my slumber was disrupted in those moments, I found that I could fall back asleep easily within just a few minutes".
She also admits that her worst issue is self-control when it comes to using her phone and watching TV before bed. This is a common problem in establishing a healthy sleep hygiene routine. “It was hard for me to tell whether it was the cherry juice doing its magic or me cutting out my not so great sleep-inhibiting habits for the sake of feeling super relaxed and in the right mindset to hit the hay,” says Yawaza.
Any sleep supplement, including Sip2Sleep®, works best with a healthy pre-bed routine. Pair it with reading a book instead of scrolling through your phone or catching up on Netflix. Try it out for yourself today by shopping Sip2Sleep® or subscribing to save big on better sleep.
