The One Fruit Dietitians Recommend for Better Sleep

A better night’s sleep might start with an unexpected addition to your grocery list: tart cherries. The fruit has been gaining attention for its naturally occurring melatonin and other compounds that may support healthy sleep. But before you start adding tart cherries to your evening routine, we’ve tapped nutrition experts and sleep doctors to break down their potential benefits and how to incorporate them into your diet to support better sleep.

Why Tart Cherries Are Getting Attention for Sleep

Tart cherries are often linked to better sleep, thanks in part to their naturally occurring melatonin, a hormone produced in the brain that helps regulate sleep. “Specifically, melatonin regulates the circadian rhythm, our internal 24-hour clock that allows the brain and body to keep track of time, including the timing of sleep,” says Chelsie Rohrscheib, PhD, head of sleep science at Wesper. “When melatonin levels are high in the brain, it signals to the body that it’s time to sleep and remain asleep.”

Aside from melatonin, Paloma Vega, MS, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist and founder of Nutrition A La Mesa, notes that tart cherries contain several other potentially sleep-supportive compounds, including tryptophan, magnesium, and polyphenols such as anthocyanins. The body uses the amino acid tryptophan to produce serotonin, which helps regulate mood, stress, and the sleep-wake cycle and also serves as a precursor to melatonin. “Tart cherries also provide magnesium, a mineral involved in normal nervous-system function and muscle function,” Vega says.

“Additionally, their anthocyanins and other polyphenols have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may indirectly support overall health and healthy sleep.” That said, Vega stresses that while they provide plausible mechanisms, more research is needed1 to determine how much each individual compound contributes to the effects observed with tart cherry consumption.

Tart cherries, and the Montmorency variety in particular, may have an edge over their sweeter counterparts when it comes to sleep, as the tart variety contains higher levels of melatonin and polyphenols. “Tart cherries have also been more specifically studied for their potential effects on sleep compared with sweet cherry varieties,” Vega says.

While tart cherries have the potential to help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep throughout the night, and experience fewer nighttime awakenings, Rohrscheib notes that they’re best used to support otherwise healthy sleep and are unlikely to resolve chronic sleep problems or underlying sleep disorders.

The Best Way to Get Your Tart Cherry Fix 

Whether fresh, frozen, dried, or juiced, there’s no shortage of ways to add tart cherries to your routine. But Melanie Murphy Richter, MS, RDN, longevity nutritionist at L-Nutra, points to tart cherry juice concentrate as the form with the most research behind it so far, with studies linking it to improvements in sleep duration and quality. “I typically recommend eight to 12 ounces of concentrate mixed with water,” she says. “But a half cup of frozen or a quarter cup of dried [cherries] work just as well and can fit more easily into a smoothie routine. The key here is consistency, not a one-time dose.”

If you’re shopping for tart cherry juice concentrate, Vega recommends looking for 100% concentrate without added sugar. “Tart cherry juice already naturally contains sugar, so the added sugar isn’t necessary and can increase the overall sugar content of the drink without providing additional nutritional benefits,” she says. “Check the ingredient list to make sure tart cherry is the primary ingredient and that you’re not purchasing a cherry-flavored beverage or juice cocktail with added sugars or other juices.” She adds that it can also be worthwhile to check whether the product specifically lists Montmorency tart cherries, or Prunus cerasus, as another indication that you’re getting the variety used in much of the sleep research.

Timing matters, too. Rohrscheib recommends consuming tart cherries about one to two hours before bedtime to give their naturally occurring melatonin time to take effect. “If you choose to incorporate tart cherries into your nightly routine, try to consume them at roughly the same time each evening,” she says. “Maintaining a consistent bedtime routine can help reinforce your circadian rhythm.”

What to Pair With Tart Cherries for Better Sleep

Tart cherries make a smart addition to an evening snack, especially when paired with a source of protein and fat. Richter recommends combining them with foods that can help stabilize blood sugar before bed. “Try Greek yogurt with almond butter and cherries, or whole grain toast with nut butter and a few cherries on top,” she says. “Sleep restriction and fragmentation raise both fasting and post-meal glucose, so stabilizing blood sugar before bed supports better sleep quality.”

A small, balanced bedtime snack like one of those may also help prevent hunger-related wake-ups during the night, Richter adds, while helping to reduce metabolic stress.

Your Eating Habits Can Support Better Sleep, Too

Rather than focusing on a single sleep-promoting food, Vega emphasizes the importance of a well-balanced eating pattern throughout the day to help support better sleep, including plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, and legumes, as well as sources of protein and healthy fats. Getting a balance of these foods can also support the body’s melatonin production, as protein provides tryptophan, which the body uses to make serotonin. “It’s also important to eat consistently and avoid going to bed either extremely hungry or overly full,” she says.

Vega also suggests paying attention to caffeine intake and timing. “While up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day is generally considered an amount that is not associated with negative effects for most healthy adults, that doesn’t mean 400 milligrams is an ideal amount for everyone,” she says. “Overall, the goal is to look at the entire day of nutrition and lifestyle habits rather than relying on one food or drink to improve sleep.” (RealSimple)