Diurnal Variation, Circadian Dysrhythmia, Jet Lag and Cherries

Even though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned against labeling cherry products as cures for specific ailments, saying that it hasn't been clinically proven, Dr Russell Reiter of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio says: "Tart cherries are absolutely one of the very healthy fruits". His studies have found cherries to be rich in melatonin, a powerful inflammation inhibitor that can improve sleep. Reiter, a nutrition researcher and one of the world’s leading authorities on melatonin, says that cherries might help fight jet lag. “Tart cherries contain melatonin, which is then absorbed into the blood stream influencing your biological clock,” he said. A handful of dried cherries taken 30 minutes before bed will assist in overcoming your disrupted natural rhythms. He says that the cherry intake should continue until your system is "rezzzzzzoned". Dried cherries have a greater concentration of melatonin than cherry juice or fresh cherries. Circadian dysrhythmia is a major factor in chronic fatigue induced by time-zzzzzone change sleeplessness for flight crew's on east-bound schedules.