Well I never. Not only are cherries the greatest thing for gout, now researchers have found they may actually help insomnia sufferers because of their relatively high melatonin content. Here’a report from Nutri:
“More cherries for better sleep?
A new study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food has found an unlikely help for insomnia sufferers in the form of tart cherry juice!
A team of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, University of Rochester, and Veteran’s Administration Center of Canadaigua conducted a small-scale pilot study on 15 older adults. In the study, participants drank 8oz of tart cherry juice in the morning and evening for two weeks and then a comparable juice drink without cherries for the following two weeks.
Results showed that there were reductions in the severity of insomnia in the group of adults in the two weeks whilst drinking cherry juice. Researchers have speculated that the sleep-inducing benefits of cherries may be due to their relatively high melatonin content. Melatonin is naturally produced by the body in small amounts and plays an important role in the sleep-wake cycle.”
References:
Pigeon WR, Carr M, Gorman C, Perlis ML. Effects of a Tart Cherry Juice Beverage on the Sleep of Older Adults with Insomnia: A Pilot Study. Journal of Medicinal Food 2010; 13: 579-583.
Pigeon WR, Carr M, Gorman C, Perlis ML. Effects of a Tart Cherry Juice Beverage on the Sleep of Older Adults with Insomnia: A Pilot Study. Journal of Medicinal Food 2010; 13: 579-583.
Got to be worth a go if you struggle with sleep. Let me know if it works for you. Also, take a look at the Insomnia page on the website for more ideas: http://www.purehealthclinic.co.uk/health-conditions-lifestyle/insomnia/