Is it true that cherry juice helps you sleep better?

Drinking tart cherry juice twice a day can add an average of 84 minutes of sleep every night, according to a 2015 study by Louisiana State University. Cherry juice naturally contains melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle, and the juice boosts the body's natural melatonin levels.

The university study also found that tart cherry juice raises the production of the amino acid tryptophan. The dark red pigment in the juice contains an enzyme thought to reduce inflammation and slow the breakdown of tryptophan so it works longer in the body. The compounds may be particularly high in Montmorency cherries.