Even after a hectic day, the most exhausting task of all can sometimes be getting some decent shut-eye once your head finally hits the pillow.
Thankfully, there are ways to prepare the body for a good night's rest so that you feel refreshed when your alarm clock rings.
Experts have suggested that one way to do this is by making yourself a quick drink to ease the body into a deep slumber.
There are plenty of herbal teas specifically designed to improve sleep quality, from camomile and valerian tea to the age-old favourite: warm milk.
There are plenty of herbal teas specifically designed to improve sleep, from camomile to valerian
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But certified sleep specialist Sarah Bowmar told GB News that tart cherry juice might just be the holy grail for achieving a good night's snooze.
Montmorency cherries are a particular type of cherry known for their sharp, tart taste and ruby-red appearance.
As well as being packed full of anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties, the cherries contain tryptophan, an essential amino acid that helps the body produce melatonin. Melatonin is a natural hormone that aids sleep regulation.
Professor Glyn Howatson and his team at Northumbria University assert that tart cherry juice is a helpful bedtime drink, as it boosts both the quality and duration of sleep.
Their study, published in the National Library of Medicine, found that tart cherry juice "provides an increase in exogenous melatonin that is beneficial in improving sleep duration and quality in healthy men and women".
The beverage is "important" for overall health and well-being, including vascular function, the research also revealed. Indeed, good quality sleep "enables the body to recover and adapt following exercise".
As a result, many Olympians incorporate it into their nutrition plans, since drinking the juice before and after strenuous activity has been found to enhance muscle function recovery.
Their findings revealed reductions in blood pressure, similar to effects made by medicinal interventions.
Another expert and sleep supplement formulator, Matt Gallant, told GB News that magnesium powder is an effective way to help the body get ready for rest, in addition to the fruity drink.
"Magnesium doesn't dictate when you feel tired," he said. "But it creates the right conditions for sleep by relaxing muscles, calming the nervous system, and promoting balanced sleep architecture. In fact, being magnesium deficient is linked to poor sleep."
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When it comes to setting yourself up for a good night's sleep, cherry juice might just be the holy grail
GETTYFor those who require a "double-punch" to secure their sleep, the combination of magnesium powder alongside the tart cherry could put them on a path to a "great" night's rest.
Bed manufacturer Dreams has even backed a "Sleep Girl Mocktail", made with one scoop of magnesium powder and 125ml of cherry juice, topped up with lemon and lime soda.
Fans of the drink fawn over its sleep-inducing components. However, the company added that going through the motions of making yourself a bedtime drink is enough on its own to signal to the brain that it’s time to log off for the night.
