A study released at the annual Experimental Biology 2014 meeting in San Diego in April 2014, has shown why drinking the so called tart or sour cherry juice from the Montmorency Cherry ('Prunus cerasus') can add more than an hour a night to your sleep. Montmorency cherries are typically dark red on the outside and yellow inside. The report is extremely important to insomniacs and older people who are far more disposed to insomnia and for whom, taking sleeping pills can be a somewhat hazardous exercise. (More than a third of older people have trouble sleeping as the levels of serotonin decline as we age.)Montmorency tart cherries are one of the highest sources of melatonin, a hormone that helps balance the wake / sleep cycle and a natural sleep enabler. At a chemical level, it isn't just the melatonin that is helping your sleep activation. The cherries contain proanthocyanidins that help to increase the availability of tryptophan and also inhibit the enzyme that degrades tryptophan, (an essential amino acid required for your body to produce serotonin). Serotonin helps to relax, improve mood and sleep - and decrease inflammation. Cherries also boast a high Antioxidant content along with Copper, Manganese, Vitamin A and C. The anthocyanins and other antioxidants in cherries also see cherries as a long respected remedy for the inflammation caused by gout and arthritis.The cherry season in Australia lasts only 3 months across spring and summer so dried fruits or juices are good alternatives. Image: Melica/Shutterstock