Tart Cherry Moon Milk Recipe for Relaxation and Better Sleep (2024)

FAQs

How do you drink tart cherry for sleep? ›

Timing: Most people say it's best to drink tart cherry juice about 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime. That's when your body's melatonin production is naturally rising. Start Small: Begin with a small glass of tart cherry juice. Some people find that even a half-cup works well.

"The combination of ingredients in moon milk has a synergistically calming effect on the nervous system, thereby relaxing the body." That could potentially promote sleep.

If you're looking to improve your sleep, eating tart cherries or drinking tart cherry juice may be worth a try. It is like a sleep smoothie, but you need to take it at least 20-30 minutes before your sleep.

It appears that common dosing is 240 mL — or about one cup — of juice one to two times daily, while many available supplements provide the equivalent of 300 to over 10,000 mg of tart cherry extract per serving. Even if tart cherry juice products don't help you sleep better, moderate doses have few likely side effects.

If you're still curious, Dr. Winter recommends choosing a tart cherry juice that's low in added sugar, and having a cup of juice an hour or two before bed. It certainly isn't “wrong” to consume it later, he says, but if you can sip it around dusk, that's when your body naturally makes more melatonin.

If you have diabetes or another condition that affects blood sugar, you should speak to your doctor before adding tart cherry juice to your diet. Sorbitol, a natural sugar alcohol found in tart cherry juice, can also cause belly pain and diarrhea for some people.

Ideally sipped daily before bedtime, moon milk contains a blend of adaptogens and spices to help inspire a blissful night's rest. Adaptogens are herbs and plants that have been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine, one of the oldest holistic healing systems in the world.

Almond Milk

According to studies, the presence of serotonin in the brain can help to initiate sleep. Healthy serotonin levels in our central nervous system often depend on the presence of tryptophan, which is naturally found in both cow's milk and almond milk.

Turmeric is a boon for all your sleep woes as it reduces oxidative stress, anxiety, depression and boosts the mood. These combined effects help to regulate the sleep cycle. Recipe: Warm 1 cup milk, 1 tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ piece grated ginger and 1 tsp honey in a saucepan.

That's what the latest viral trend might have us believe. The “Sleepy Girl Mocktail” is a mix of tart cherry juice, powdered magnesium supplement and soda water.

Which magnesium is best for sleep? ›

When it comes to sleep, magnesium glycinate is your best bet, advises Ankrehah Trimble Johnson, D.O., a board-certified family medicine physician at Brownstone Healthcare in Trussville, Alabama. Magnesium glycinate contains the amino acid glycine, which animal research suggests may have sleep-promoting effects.

Is tart cherry juice the same as melatonin? While tart cherries contain melatonin and can boost the body's melatonin production, tart cherries are not the same as the hormone melatonin or a melatonin dietary supplement.

Cherries can be included in the diet for all stages of kidney disease. Cherries contain only trace amounts of sodium and are low in phosphorus. Sweet cherries are high in potassium (>200 mg in 3.5 ounces, which is almost one-half cup), while sour cherries are considered a low potassium food (<200 mg in 3.5 ounces).

If you are considering tart cherry juice for sleep, it is best to opt for juice without added sugar, so you do not inadvertently add too much sugar to your diet. If the sour taste of the cherry juice does not suit your preferences, you can also buy tart cherry extract as a supplement in pill form.

The biggest difference between tart cherry juice vs capsules is the amount of sugar/liquid/energy that products contain. The capsules may be better for athletes working on weight maintenance or managing energy consumption.

Sorbitol, a sugar alcohol found in tart cherry juice, can also cause gastrointestinal issues such as stomach cramping and diarrhea for some people, so be sure not to drink too much—and to dilute a concentrate as instructed.

Know how much to consume.

While many studies have shown the benefits of drinking two cups daily, adjusting your intake based on your individual health needs and preferences is important. It's a good idea to speak with a healthcare provider to determine how much tart cherry juice you should consume daily.

One putative sleep-promoting pathway for tart cherries is their relatively high content of melatonin,⁸ a substance with sleep-regulating properties. Another potential pathway is via anti-inflammatory agents in that a number of inflammatory cytokines are intricately related to the modulation of sleep.