Top News

Why dietitians are sipping this juice before bed.

Key Points

• Dietitians recommend drinking tart cherry juice at night for better brain health.
• Tart cherry juice provides naturally occurring melatonin and has been linked to better sleep.
• Regular exercise and a balanced diet may also support brain health.

Late-night drinks are often chosen with sleep in mind, and that’s a reasonable consideration. The quality of your rest can influence your attention, memory and mental energy the following day. A good late-night drink option should fit comfortably into your routine while supporting, rather than disrupting, a restful night.

For a late-night drink that may support your brain both directly and indirectly through better sleep, tart cherry juice may be worth adding to your evening routine. It provides naturally occurring melatonin, and research suggests that tart cherry products may improve certain sleep measures and sustained attention. We spoke with registered dietitians to explain why it may be worth adding to your evening routine.

Why We Love Tart Cherry Juice for Brain Health

It May Support Longer, More Efficient Sleep

Sleep plays an active role in brain health. While you sleep, your brain processes new information and supports the attention and mental energy you need for the next day. Regularly getting poor-quality sleep, on the other hand, has been associated with cognitive decline over time.,

Tart cherry juice has shown promising, though not entirely consistent, results in research on sleep. Research suggests that consuming tart cherry products may help people sleep longer and spend more time asleep during the night.

The juice contains several compounds that may help explain these findings. “Tart cherry juice is rich in different compounds such as anthocyanin (which creates the rich, dark red color of cherries), melatonin, tryptophan and serotonin,” says Katie Gross, M.S., RDN, LDN. Melatonin helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle, while the body uses tryptophan to produce serotonin and melatonin.

It May Help Support Focus the Next Day

Memory tends to get most of the attention in discussions about brain health, but staying focused is just as important for getting through the day. Sustained attention allows you to concentrate on one task over time, whether that means following a long conversation at work or staying attentive behind the wheel.

Research suggests that tart cherry concentrate may support aspects of cognitive function, including attention and mental alertness. Specifically, some research has found that people who consume tart cherry products may perform better on measures of sustained attention and have reported improvements in mental fatigue.

“These are small studies, and we need larger trials to confirm the findings, but the consistency of the results across different populations is encouraging,” says Brinya Kydd, M.S., RDN.

It May Help Reduce Mental Fatigue

Being able to complete a task is different from feeling mentally drained while doing it. Research suggests that tart cherry products may support feelings of mental alertness and reduce perceived mental fatigue, though more research is needed to understand how these effects translate to everyday life.

Tart cherries provide polyphenols and compounds involved in sleep regulation, both of which could contribute to how mentally restored someone feels over time. “You’re essentially getting a natural anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and sleep-support package in a single glass,” says Kydd.

Unlike coffee or an energy drink, tart cherry juice does not contain caffeine and is unlikely to produce an immediate burst of alertness. The research instead points to a potential benefit that may develop with regular intake rather than a quick fix for next-day brain fog.,

It May Support Memory as You Age

Regularly drinking tart cherry juice may support certain aspects of memory in older adults. In fact, research suggests that tart cherry products may be linked to improvements in measures of memory, attention and cognitive function in older adults.

“Tart cherry juice consumption improved episodic memory, a type of long-term explicit memory, attention and movement time, the time it takes to process information, make a decision and execute a physical movement,” says Kydd. “Participants also reported feeling more satisfied with their memory.”

While the research is still limited, these findings suggest that tart cherry juice may have a place in a consistent, longer-term routine that supports cognitive health.

Other Tips for Brain Health

Tart cherry juice can support one part of your brain-health routine, but long-term cognitive health depends on a variety of daily habits. 

• Follow a brain-supportive eating pattern. Build meals around vegetables, fruit, beans, whole grains, nuts, olive oil and fish. Mediterranean and MIND-style patterns emphasize many of these foods.
• Move regularly. Exercise, including aerobic activity and strength training, supports cardiovascular health, which helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to the brain.
• Manage risk factors. Blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, smoking and physical inactivity are among the modifiable factors associated with dementia risk.
• Keep learning and connecting. Mentally stimulating activities and regular social contact can be part of a broader brain-health plan.

Our Expert Take

Tart cherry juice is a promising late-night drink to support brain health. Research suggests that regular intake may be associated with better sleep, sustained attention, less mental fatigue and certain improvements in memory. Its naturally occurring melatonin, tryptophan and polyphenols may help explain these potential benefits. Still, one glass before bed is unlikely to produce an immediate cognitive boost. Most research has evaluated tart cherry products consumed consistently over several weeks or months. Consider it one part of a brain-healthy routine that also includes adequate sleep, regular movement and a balanced pattern of eating.