Starting around age 40, I began having trouble getting to sleep. That had NEVER happened before, and I might have even been called the Sleeping Queen back in the day. I once even slept though a minor kitchen fire in my parent's home. I was a teenager. I rest my case.
But with getting older, menopause, stress, you name it, sleep became more elusive, and I began looking for reasonably natural aids to falling asleep.
Like this delicious beverage.
Tart cherry juice is believed to help boost the body's production of melatonin, a hormone that promotes better sleep. Lemon is chock full of vitamins and minerals. Ginger is good for your gut.
Whip up a batch of the juice mix, then blend it with sparkling water. Sip before bedtime. Enjoy!
Recipe:
2 cups tart cherry juice, no sugar added
1 cup fresh or frozen pitted sweet cherries
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Whirl together in a blender or Vitamix. Store in a sealed container in the fridge.
To serve, blend half and half with sparkling water, plain or flavored (I like cherry or lime). Pour over ice (optional). You could even garnish with a lemon or lime wedge or sprig of mint.
Sweet dreams!

Anne Wade is Teacher, Writer, Mentor, and Coach for courageous women in midlife and beyond who want to disrupt their own status quo and design life on their own terms, even in turbulent times. She has developed the Becoming Found process of going within to find and address the inner barriers we have all inadvertently built up against love, happiness, health, wealth and any other desires of our hearts. Teaching women to unapologetically shine like a superstar and live their legacy is Anne’s mission.
You can follow her on her Facebook page “Anne Wade – Becoming found” or join her “Becoming Found” Facebook group.