Those who suffer from insomnia often use valerian. According to studies, it should be another option to drink cherry juice to fall asleep. You can read what is behind the recommendation here.
If you want to remedy the situation with herbal means in the event of sleep problems, you will probably take care of preparations with valerian. An alternative to this could also be sour cherries. Because this stone fruit contains small amounts of melatonin, cherry juice should be suitable as a help for falling asleep.
Cherry juice to fall asleep: This is what studies say
Sauer cherries (especially the Montmorency cherry) contain the sleep hormone melatonin, which controls the so-called circadian rhythm, i.e. the day-night rhythm of humans. On the other hand, tryptophan is also in the fruits. This is an amino acid that is required for the production of serotonin and melatonin in the body. Therefore, cherry juice from sour cherries should not only help with falling asleep, but also increase the duration of sleep.
This confirms nutritionist Beth Czerwony in a contribution from the American Cleveland Clinic: “Because sour cherries contain different enzymes, they actually keep the tryptophan in the body longer. This not only falls asleep faster, but also sleeps longer.”
Various studies have examined how sour cherry juice can affect sleep:
- In a study of 2010, 15 older people with chronic insomnia was examined how their sleep changed after they had taken a placebo for two weeks and (after a two-week break) for two weeks. Compared to the placebo, the drink caused a significant reduction in insomnia (reduction in the wax minute after the insert). In the case of sleeping slat (time to fall asleep), the total sleep time or sleep efficiency, there were no such improvements compared to the placebo. The author: Inside the study, summarize that the sour cherry juice concentrate can be just as good or even a little more effective than valerian. Nevertheless, the effect of sour cherry juice is significantly lower than that of evidence -based treatment of insomnia with sleeping pills.
- In another study from 2012, 20 participants took: for a week either, either sour cherry juice or a placebo. The total sleep time and the overall efficiency of sleep were noticeably increased in the cherry juice supplementation. According to the study author, this indicates: Inside that a sour cherry juice concentrate improves the sleeping time and quality and could be useful in the treatment of sleep disorders.
- Eight subjects: In the inside with insomnia, in a study from 2018, 240 milliliters of cherry juice took twice a day for two weeks and – after a two -week break – a placebo for two weeks. The study concludes that cherry juice can increase the sleeping time by an average of 84 minutes and improve sleep efficiency.
Cherry juice to fall asleep: unfortunately only wishful thinking
Although these and other studies sound promising, the consumer advice center does not consider them meaningful. The reason for this is the inconsistent implementation: depending on the study, the effect of sour cherry juice mixtures, sour cherry concentrate or fresh sour cherry juice was examined. Therefore, no clear recommendations for the type of sour cherry preparation, dosage and the duration of the income could be derived from the studies.
Also important to know that too low melatonin levels can cause sleep disorders, but it does not have to. In addition, melatonin is quickly broken down in the liver. Basically, experts see: The effects of melatonin as an alternative sleeping p. Ingo Fietze, head of the interdisciplinary sleep medicine center on the Berlin Charité, explains in the quark contribution: “Among the fabrics that are sleeping, melatonin is a very weak remedy.” If you have a normal melatonin level in the evening, you do not benefit from additional melatonin.
Incidentally, other foods also contain melatonin, for example pistachios, goji berries, oatmeal or mushrooms. But here, too, the quantities are so low that according to a study (2020) it is wishful thinking to expect an impact on sleep.
Cherry juice to fall asleep in self -experiment
In a self-experiment, the author of a wellness and lifestyle website has taken 60 milliliters of sour cherry juice for two weeks before bed- significantly less than the 240 milliliters, which one of the above-mentioned study as a dose on a subject: inside. Nevertheless, the author could find that her sleep was relatively constant and undisturbed during this time. But she cannot say whether it was due to the sour cherry juice. Her sleep problems would also have to do with unhealthy habits shortly before the night’s sleep, which she also took during the experimental period (keyword: “Bedtime procrastination”).
If you want to try out cherry juice as a help to fall asleep, make sure that you use unsightened juices, preferably in organic quality. So you avoid unwanted preservatives, dyes, artificial flavors and added vitamins as well as the use of chemical-synthetic pesticides.
Conclusion: Sour cherry juice as a sleep aid is relatively harmless and cheaper than expensive melatonin preparations. But its effect is probably only very low or not at all. If you suffer from sleep problems, it is therefore better to have them clarified and treated them.
Read more on utopia.de:
- Better fall asleep: these 6 tips can help
- Natural sleeping pills: these 4 help you fall asleep
- Monkey Mind: This stops the carousel of thought when falling asleep
Read more on utopia.de:
- Better fall asleep: these 6 tips can help
- Natural sleeping pills: these 4 help you fall asleep
- Monkey Mind: This stops the carousel of thought when falling asleep
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