Tart Cherry Juice and Sleep: What Studies Show

If you have spent any time reading about sleep online, you have probably seen tart cherry juice described as a natural way to drift off. It is sour, deep red and made from cherries such as the Montmorency variety, not the sweet cherries you eat as a snack.

So does a glass before bed really help? Here is what the studies actually found, how people use it, and why it should never replace getting a long-running sleep problem checked.

Why people use it

Tart cherries are often said to contain melatonin, the hormone your body makes in the evening to help signal that it is time to sleep. Researchers have also wondered whether other plant compounds in the cherries play a part.

The appeal is easy to see. It is a food rather than a pill, it is simple to add to an evening routine, and many people would rather try something gentle before turning to sleeping tablets.

What the evidence says

The best-known study is a small pilot trial from 2010 in 15 older adults with insomnia. Each person drank a tart cherry juice blend for two weeks and a look-alike placebo drink for two weeks, without knowing which was which. They had two servings of about 240 ml (8 fl oz) a day, one in the morning and one 1 to 2 hours before bed.

With the cherry juice, people reported slightly less time awake during the night and a small improvement in insomnia scores compared with placebo. Total sleep time did not differ from placebo. The authors described the effects as modest and smaller than those of sleep medicines or therapy. Sleep was measured only with diaries and questionnaires, and the juice maker funded the study.

A newer trial in 34 adults with overweight or obesity and sleep problems tested 500 mg of tart cherry powder taken one hour before bed for 14 days. Compared with placebo, it made no significant difference to sleep measured with a home brain-wave device, a fitness tracker or questionnaires. The authors noted that the evidence overall is mixed.

In short, the evidence is limited. Tart cherry juice may help some people a little, but it is not a proven sleep remedy. For long-term insomnia, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the most strongly recommended treatment.

How to fit it into your evening

In the pilot study, people drank 240 ml (8 fl oz) twice a day, once in the morning and once 1 to 2 hours before bed, for two weeks. The smaller evening glass below is a gentler way to try it, but it is less than the study used, so any effect may be smaller. Watch how you feel rather than expecting a dramatic change.

It works best alongside good sleep habits. The NHS suggests going to bed and getting up at regular times, winding down for an hour before bed, keeping your bedroom dark and quiet, and avoiding tea, coffee and alcohol for at least 6 hours before bedtime.

Questions people ask

This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Herbs can interact with medicines and health conditions. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before trying a herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, giving it to a child, or taking any medication.