If you're not sleeping well, listen up!

If you're an all-around terrible, light sleeper like me, you've likely tried every trend on the market that promises to deliver solid, restful Z's. From relaxing teas, to making sure your bedroom is just the right temperature, to taking melatonin, to reducing the amount of blue light you expose yourself to before bedtime, you've done it all. If nothing seems to make a real difference, I'm here to let you in on a little secret. I drank tart cherry juice to sleep better, and it changed my nights in the best of ways. Keep reading to learn more—you won't be disappointed.

What is Cheribundi tart cherry juice?

If you're unfamiliar with Cheribundi, let me familiarize you. Cheribundi is 100% natural tart cherry juice that claims to speed up your body's recovery process post-workout, decrease inflammation, give your immune system a boost, and improve sleep. I'm here to attest that it lives up to the hype.

What's it good for?

According to the brand's website, Cheribundi "fuels your daily ritual—backed by science and certified by champions." What does the company mean by "certified by champions?" Well, the product is recommended by sports nutritionists and dietitians, and over 250 professional and college sports teams use Cheribundi for faster recovery, decreased inflammation, and enhanced sleep. Pretty cool stuff, right?

We chatted with a member of Cheribundi's Recovery Advisory Council and LA Clippers Lead Sports Dietician, Jessica Isaacs, RD, CSSD, who shares, "Cheribundi tart cherry juice is a source of naturally occurring melatonin that can improve sleep quality and duration. Studies demonstrate this benefit when tart cherry juice or a tart cherry juice concentrate is consumed about 30 minutes after waking and again 30 minutes before an evening meal, over a seven-day period."

Choose between tart cherry juice or concentrate.

When perusing the site, you can opt for juice (pure, immunity, sleep, protein, original, or light) or concentrate (pure concentrate, immunity concentrate, or sleep concentrate). I tried the concentrate with the hope of sleeping better.
Cheribundi makes it super easy for the user to decide exactly what they want. For example, the brand notes that its sleep juice is made with 40 cherries and should be consumed 20 minutes before heading to bed. After all, rest completes the body's recovery process, so getting a good night's sleep is essential. The juice features tart cherry, natural melatonin, and valerian root so you can enjoy a "deeper, longer, sounder sleep." The sleep concentrate, which is what I used, is made up of tart cherry juice concentrated with magnesium and melatonin for "double strength results." It comes in a pouch you can easily take on the go. The concentrate should also be taken 20 minutes before heading to bed.


"Cheribundi's Sleep formula is specifically targeted towards enhancing sleep, containing an extra 3 mg of melatonin, L-theanine (an amino acid associated with promoting relaxation and reducing stress/anxiety), and magnesium (regulates neurotransmitters related to sleep)," Isaacs says.

I drank Cheribundi tart cherry juice to sleep better, and here are my thoughts.

The very first night that I drank the concentrate, it delivered fast results. Shortly after sipping a packet, my body and mind felt totally relaxed, and before too long, I nodded off to sleep. Typically, my mind wanders in a million different directions, and it takes me forever to doze off peacefully. The cherry juice concentrate also helped me have a solid night's sleep, which I rarely do. I don't know if it would have this positive effect on everyone, but I've been drinking it regularly every night, because it gets the job done for this light sleeper!

Read the full article by Alexa Mellardo on Eat This, Not That.