Could Cherry Juice Help Cure Insomnia?

A recent study looks at how drinking cherry juice could potentially help cure insomnia.

According to researchers from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University, they found that this ingredient can get you ready for bed more easily.

The findings are particularly important according to the study authors as medicated sleep aids can be more dangerous, addictive and even deadly. 

"Sleeping pills may be an option for younger insomniacs, but for older people these medications quadruple the risk of falling, which can lead to broken hips and, often, earlier death," said co-author Frank L. Greenway, MD, director of the outpatient research clinic at the university, via a press release.

The most recent study involved a randomized crossover clinical trial that looked at seven older adults, all the average age of 68 who suffered from insomnia.

For the study, participants were asked to consume eight ounces of tart cherry juice twice a day for a two-week period. Following, they went two weeks in which they did not consume any juices. After that, they consumed a "placebo" beverage for two weeks. Participants were also asked to complete questionnaires and blood work as part of the process.  All of the study periods were monitored in a controlled setting using overnight polysomnography.

Findings showed that those who drank cherry juice in the morning and at night were able to sleep 84 minutes longer than those who received the placebo. There sleep was also less likely to be interrupted.

"Even though the amount of tryptophan in tart cherry juice is smaller than a normal dose given to aid sleep, the compounds in tart cherries could prevent the tryptophan from breaking down so it's able to work in the body more effectively," Greenway said, via the release. "These compounds may help to improve tryptophan bioavailability for serotonin synthesis, which could have a positive effect on sleep. Increasing serotonin also helps improve mood and decrease inflammation."

More information regarding the findings were presented at the Experimental Biology 2014 meeting.