Insomnia and Cherries

We’ve all experienced it — insomnia. Cherries may be the answer to insomnia. It seems that  age  plays a role in the change of sleep habits. It is generally thought that:
• Increasing age predisposes to sleep disorders (5% in persons aged 30-50 and 30% in those aged 50 or older).
• People who are elderly experience a decrease in total sleep time, with more frequent awakening during the night.
• People who are elderly have a higher incidence of general medical conditions and are more likely to be taking medications that cause sleep disruption.

According to http://sleepfoundation.org, “As people age they tend to have a harder time falling asleep and more trouble staying asleep than when they were younger. It is a common misconception that sleep needs decline with age.”

One of the simple solutions to the problem is to eat a handful of cherries before bedtime. Eating cherries is a natural way to boost the melatonin in your body. Melatonin is the same hormone created by your body to regulate sleep patterns. When there is insufficient melatonin produced, insomnia may be the result.

Unlike medication, there are no side effects to eating cherries. Although there are several different varieties, tart Montmorency cherries are purported to be the best. Cherry juice is also an alternative. Several sources also recommend that you take a hot bath to relax your muscles and your mind and use a pillow with lavender which induces sleepiness. Happy zzzzzzzzs!