Scientists have discovered in a study that healthy adults received up to 39 minutes more rest after drinking two glasses of the fruity beverage.

On average the adults gained around 25 minutes extra sleep and spent 14 extra minutes relaxing. The adults also found they woke less throughout the night.

The study by Northumbria University gave participants a diluted Montmorency cherry juice or an alternative fruit juice.

The study lasted for seven days, with the adults receiving one drink when they woke up and one before they went to bed. The scientists then tracked sleeping habits using actigraphs, questionnaires and urine levels.

Figures showed adults who drank the cherry juice had a more efficient and longer sleep than those drinking the alternative beverage. Scientists believe the increased rates of sleep are due to the presence of melatonin in the cherry fruit.

Dr. Glyn Howatson, an exercise physiologist, said, “These results show that tart cherry juice concentrate can be used to facilitate sleep in healthy adults.”

 From the December 12, 2011, Prepared Foods' Daily News.