My Cherry sleep tip - Top 4 tips to get more sleep.

**UPDATED:

This is the story behind how I came to creating my Montmorency based natural remedy:

 

BE SLEEPY with Montmorency Cherry, magnesium and L Theanine

Simply stir the powder into a drink and sip before bedtime.**

 

BEFORE all the cherry chat, my top tipple every night for me, calming, delicious and packed with nature’s relaxing gem, magnesium:

Natural Calm Raspberry & Lemon

But the magical Sour Cherry Juice that I can not wax more lyrical about as it gives me sleeping kids:

Montmorency Cherry Concentrate

I have had HUNDREDS of messages from you telling me your cherry juice sleep stories which makes me so happy, saving anyone from sleep deprivation is really a fabulous feeling, so thank you for letting me know.

And I really want to pass this on, it is based on clear, scientific studies, and it has worked for me and clearly LOTS of other people, so do give it a try if you're at the end of your tether.* Just a few of the ton of messages from happy sleeping families:

...

This is the study that I found in October backing up the cherry juice sleep link:

The new study was published in the European Journal of Medicine at the end of October and shows that tart cherry juice can improve the quality of your sleep, your sleep duration, and help reduce the need for daytime napping. The research team found that adults who drank two 1 ounce servings of tart cherry juice per day experienced a demonstrable increase in sleep efficiency as well as a 39 minute increase in average sleep duration.

Extracted from THIS ARTICLE

The Sour Cherry Magic Potion I devised after reading this to get us all some more sleep has been incredibly successful for hundreds of others too. This is how it worked for us, but I would say as a guide:

• To be used on 6 months plus
• It is fruit juice, so it is not harmful
• Adjust dose according to age - 5 ml twice for 6 months, 10 ml twice for 9 months, 15ml twice for 12 months plus

After a bad week of clock change sleep craziness I got together my TOP list of foods and tricks that really do help with sleep; that I've used and work or that I've read up on and ALSO work! To keep the crazy at bay before you reach for the stronger stuff! SOUR CHERRY MAGIC DETAILS

I use two doses of this a day in times of trouble - either in the smoothie recipe below, or just in yoghurt, milk or syringed in like medicine! 1st at 4pm and 2nd at 6pm and it's worked a treat.

Or the bigger version that I've got as we finished the other bottle in 4 days.....

CherryActive Concentrate

 Melatonin is the master sleep hormone and we make it naturally in the body, but with jet-lag, insomnia or the pesky clock change we can get out of whack, one of the only foods that has high enough levels are Sour Cherries! And this magical drink is the bomb. It has been shown to add an HOUR of sleep to kids in the latest research! Just add this to some yoghurt with a dash of honey and whizz it up.

Cherry Juice Magic - for an hour more sleep!

 

SOUR CHERRY SLEEP SMOOTHIE:

• Cherry Juice  1 tbsp, 15 ml
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup natural yoghurt (or coconut yoghurt)

Or, for those who don't do dairy, don't like thick drinks or smoothies, this has been a great option too:

 

SOUR CHERRY SLEEP TONIC:

• 15 ml Cherry juice, above
• 100 ml fizzy water
• Spritz of apple or orange juice

*I am not a Doctor or medical professional so please consult a Doctor if your problems persist. **A good diet, the timings of other naps and physical activity also have a huge impact on sleep, so do make sure you address these too. And teething, illness or other events that can disrupt sleep may not be helped, so do bear in mind, this is not a miracle!

FOR GROWN UPS - SLEEP, CALMING AND ANTI-ANXIETY HELP:

If you want a natural aid to a better night's sleep, this is a brilliant combination of 5 HTP, Magnesium and the magic Cherry melatonin too.

They help you get to sleep faster, stay asleep longer and feel rested when you wake up, unlike some of the sleeping pills out there:

 

FOR TEETHING: Amber Necklace

 

EASY RECIPES

Turkey Cumin & Sweet Potato Pie

2. Boost those levels of tryptophan - its's an amino acid that calms with natural sedative properties so just the job; potatoes, millet, butter beans, turkey and eggs all have high levels, so try these out: This TURKEY CUMIN & SWEET POTATO PIE is always a winner, it's on Page 150 of my book: Lizzie Loves Healthy Family Food Or a cosy one pot: My Sausage, Butterbean & Mushroom Casserole BODY SPRAY Better You Magnesium Oil Goodnight Spray 100ml 3. Magnesium - is often something we're lacking, but is a crucial mineral and especially useful when it comes to winding down as it helps the muscles relax. Foods like cashews, avocados, dates and prawns have lots, and a great one is a banana before bed, as they have magnesium, potassium and melatonin so you get the trio! I bought this oil last year and I spritz it on lower arms when we're having a tough time getting to sleep, it works really well! Better You Magnesium Oil Goodnight Spray 100ml PILLOW SPRAY Tisserand 100 ml Sweet Dreams Pillow Mist 4. Lavender - has been used as a sleep aid for centuries and studies have shown that it not only helps get your o sleep faster, it makes you sleep better AND feel more refreshed in the morning. Again, this delicious misting spray that you spritz onto the pillow before bed has been used inner house for ages and REALLY DOES WORK! Tisserand 100 ml Sweet Dreams Pillow Mist NON FOOD SLEEP TRICKS DARKNESS: These sleep masks look fabulous for those kids who just need to keep their peepers shut: 3D Super Hero Sleep Masks -Coolest Eye Masks - Most Comfortable Sleeping Mask (Batman2) OR LIGHT: I know some children just need a bit of light to keep them happy, and this night light looks like a winner: Lexibook NLJ030PJM PJ Masks Night Light The classic tips that I sometimes forget but really can make a difference when you're wrangling with lack of sleep on all fronts:

• No screens just before bed

BLACK OUT BLINDS - CRUCIAL easynight portable travel blackout blind new improved (Large)

• Dark rooms - I've used blackout binds going away always, mine sleep SO much faster

These portable ones are my essential travel kit for kids of any age, you are BUYING SLEEP I promise! They have saved me on weekends away, holidays and even in the car! easynight portable travel blackout blind new improved (Large)

• Routine of time and story etc helps kids to get ready for sleep
• Simple but so damn crucial is the no sugar thing, and most particularly before bed, get rid of those sneaky fruity yoghurts and snack bars that just spike the sugar levels and make bed time a nightmare!

This is a fascinating book full of new research about just how crucial that elusive sleep really is, if you need any more persuading to get yourself downing cherry juice and getting to bed earlier, this is it: "the shorter your sleep, the shorter your life" Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams Good luck and let's hope we can get more of that magical elixir all round.