The TikTok Girlies have been raving about the Sleepy Girl Mocktail!! So Let’s Talk About it!
Do you struggle to fall asleep at night? Is melatonin not working for you? Well, you may want to try the sleepy girl mocktail, a viral TikTok drink that promises to help you sleep better. The sleepy girl mocktail is a simple drink that consists of three ingredients: tart cherry juice, magnesium powder, and a fizzy drink of your choice, such as sparkling water or prebiotic soda.
So, I stumbled on this sleepy girl cocktail by mistake. I was already drinking tart cherry juice in the morning to help lower my blood pressure and I was searching Google and TikTok for articles and videos about taking Magnesium for anxiety, when I found the Sleepy Girl Mocktail.
The sleepy girl mocktail looked like a good way to get all the benefits I wanted, plus better sleep, and a new drink idea to add to my already long list of drink concoctions. T’was a WIN WIN!! But, you know I’m always gonna investigate the contraindications of the ingredients and their benefits. So, in this article, I will share with you everything I know about the sleepy girl mocktail; from how to make it to the science behind the sleepy girl mocktail, and what you should know before trying it.
Table of Contents
Sleepy Girl Mocktail Recipe
The sleepy girl mocktail is very easy to make. All you need are the following ingredients:
- 1/2 cup pure tart cherry juice
- 1 tablespoon of magnesium powder
- A bit of fizzy drink to cut it, like a prebiotic soda or sparkling water (OPTIONAL)
Simply stir, sip, and sleep tight (or so the story goes).
Here are the steps on How To Make the Sleepy Girl Mocktail:
- Pour the tart cherry juice into a glass. You can use any brand of tart cherry juice, as long as it is pure and unsweetened. Tart cherries, also known as Montmorency cherries, are different from sweet cherries, and have a sour and tangy taste. You can find tart cherry juice in most grocery stores, health food stores, or online.
- Add the magnesium powder to the tart cherry juice and stir well. You can use any form of magnesium powder, such as magnesium citrate, magnesium glycinate, or magnesium chloride. Magnesium is a mineral that plays a vital role in many bodily functions, such as heart, bone, and metabolic health, stress management, and muscle relaxation. You can find magnesium powder in most pharmacies, health food stores, or online.
- Top up the glass with a fizzy drink of your choice, such as sparkling water or prebiotic soda. You can use any flavor or brand of fizzy drink, as long as it is low in sugar and calories. Fizzy drinks add some carbonation and sweetness to the drink, making it more palatable and refreshing. You can find fizzy drinks in most grocery stores, convenience stores, or online.
That’s it! You have just made the sleepy girl mocktail. Enjoy your drink at least an hour before your bedtime, as drinking too much liquid close to your sleep time may disrupt your sleep by making you need to use the bathroom at night.
- My preferred Magnesium of choice for sleep, is Magnesium Glycinate, because it is best for relaxation and sleep. Every type of Magnesium has different benefits; you can find out what each magnesium is best for in THIS ARTICLE!
- You can also experiment with different variations or alternatives for the ingredients, such as:
- Using different flavors of tart cherry juice, such as blueberry, cranberry, or pomegranate. Try this if you detest the taste of tart cherry juice
- Using different forms of magnesium, such as capsules, tablets, or liquid. I take the capsules cuz they’re just easier to take.
- Using different types of fizzy drinks, such as kombucha, ginger ale, or tonic water.
- Using only tart cherry juice without the fizzy drink. If you’re like me and you hate fizzy drinks, just drink the tart cherry juice on its own. I find it to be quite tasty by itself.
- Using just a flavored tart cherry juice, mentioned above. If you don’t like fizzy drinks and you don’t like the taste of tart cherry juice, this is a great option for you. You could either mix the tart cherry juice with your favorite juice, or find a flavored tart cherry juice mentioned in the first option
The Science Behind the Sleepy Girl Mocktail
The sleepy girl mocktail works because it contains two ingredients that have some scientific evidence to support their sleep-related benefits: tart cherry juice and magnesium.
Tart Cherry Juice and Sleep
Tart cherries are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties. They also contain naturally high amounts of melatonin, the hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle, and tryptophan, an amino acid that helps produce serotonin and melatonin in your brain.1 2
Some small studies have shown that drinking tart cherry juice before bed can increase your melatonin levels, reduce inflammation, and improve your sleep quality and duration. For example, one study found that older adults with insomnia who drank tart cherry juice twice a day for two weeks slept about 84 minutes longer and had better sleep efficiency than those who drank a placebo juice.3 Another study found that athletes who drank tart cherry juice for seven days before and during a strenuous running event had less muscle damage, inflammation, and pain, and recovered faster than those who drank a placebo juice.4
However, more research is needed to confirm the optimal dose, timing, and duration of tart cherry juice intake for sleep improvement, as well as the long-term effects and safety of this drink.
Magnesium and Sleep
Magnesium is a mineral that plays a vital role in many bodily functions, such as heart, bone, and metabolic health, stress management, and muscle relaxation.5 Magnesium also helps regulate your nervous system and influence your brain activity, which can affect your sleep quality and quantity.6
Some studies have suggested that magnesium supplementation can improve your sleep by reducing stress hormones, increasing melatonin production, and enhancing the quality of your sleep stages. For instance, one study found that older adults with insomnia who took 500 mg of magnesium daily for eight weeks had better sleep quality, sleep time, and sleep efficiency than those who took a placebo.7 Another study found that taking 248 mg of magnesium daily for six weeks improved the sleep quality and sleep onset latency of people with mild to moderate insomnia.8
You can get magnesium from various foods, such as nuts, seeds, leafy greens, and whole grains, or from supplements that come in different forms, such as magnesium citrate, magnesium glycinate, or magnesium chloride. However, you should consult your doctor before taking any supplements, as they may interact with other medications or cause side effects, such as diarrhea, nausea, or cramps, especially if you take too much.
What You Should Know Before Trying the Viral Sleepy Girl Mocktail
The sleepy girl mocktail may be a tasty and easy way to incorporate some sleep-promoting ingredients into your diet, but it is not a magic potion that will cure your sleep problems. While tart cherry juice and magnesium have some potential benefits for sleep, they are not enough to overcome other factors that may affect your sleep quality, such as stress, anxiety, caffeine, alcohol, blue light, noise, temperature, or poor sleep habits.
Therefore, if you want to try the sleepy girl mocktail, you should do so as part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle that includes regular exercise, a nutritious diet, and good sleep hygiene. You should also drink it at least an hour before your bedtime, as drinking too much liquid close to your sleep time may disrupt your sleep by making you need to use the bathroom at night.
Additionally, you should be aware of the potential side effects, risks, or limitations of the sleepy girl mocktail, such as:
Interactions with medications:
- Tart cherry juice and magnesium may interact with some medications, such as blood thinners, antibiotics, or antidepressants. If you are taking any medications, you should consult your doctor before trying the drink or taking any supplements.
Allergies:
- Some people may be allergic to tart cherries, magnesium, or other ingredients in the drink. If you have any allergies, you should check the labels of the products you use and avoid any ingredients that may cause a reaction.
Diarrhea:
- Tart cherry juice and magnesium may cause diarrhea, especially if you consume too much or have a sensitive stomach. If you experience diarrhea, you should reduce the amount of the drink or stop taking it altogether.
Dehydration:
- Drinking too much tart cherry juice or magnesium may cause dehydration, as they can increase your urine output and fluid loss. If you drink the sleepy girl mocktail, you should also drink plenty of water and stay hydrated.
The sleepy girl mocktail is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. If you have chronic or severe insomnia, or any other sleep disorder, you should consult your doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. You should also inform your doctor if you are taking any supplements, such as magnesium, as they may affect your medication or health condition.
Conclusion
I have been loving TikToks sleepy girl mocktail almost every night for the past two months, and it has not disappointed me! The sleepy girl mocktail actually works and has really improved my sleep quality and duration. I prefer it to melatonin, because it makes me feel sleepy and ready for bed vs melatonin which sucks me into the sleep abyss and gives me weird and sometimes terrible dreams.
Have you tried the sleepy girl mocktail? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments below, I would love your feedback!
References
- Can Cherries Help You Get a Better Night’s Sleep? (n.d.). Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/do-cherries-help-you-sleep ↩︎
- 10 Health Benefits of Tart Cherry Juice. (2017, June 10). Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-tart-cherry-juice-benefits ↩︎
- Losso, J. N., Finley, J. W., Karki, N., Liu, A. G., Prudente, A., Tipton, R., Yu, Y., & Greenway, F. L. (2018). Pilot Study of the Tart Cherry Juice for the Treatment of Insomnia and Investigation of Mechanisms. American Journal of Therapeutics, 25(2), e194–e201. https://doi.org/10.1097/mjt.0000000000000584. ↩︎
- Kuehl, K. S., Perrier, E. T., Elliot, D. L., & Chesnutt, J. C. (2010). Efficacy of tart cherry juice in reducing muscle pain during running: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-7-17 ↩︎
- Al Alawi, A. M., Majoni, S. W., & Falhammar, H. (2018). Magnesium and Human Health: Perspectives and Research Directions. International Journal of Endocrinology, 2018(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/9041694 ↩︎
- How Magnesium Can Help You Sleep. (2017, April 30). Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/magnesium-and-sleep#:~:text=It%20Can%20Help%20Your%20Body%20and%20Brain%20Relax&text=First%2C%20magnesium%20regulates%20neurotransmitters%2C%20which ↩︎
- Abbasi, B., Kimiagar, M., Sadeghniiat, K., Shirazi, M. M., Hedayati, M., & Rashidkhani, B. (2012). The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences : The Official Journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 17(12), 1161–1169. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3703169/ ↩︎
- Tarleton, E. K., Littenberg, B., MacLean, C. D., Kennedy, A. G., & Daley, C. (2017). Role of magnesium supplementation in the treatment of depression: A randomized clinical trial. PLOS ONE, 12(6), e0180067. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0180067. ↩︎
Sources
- Should You Use Tart Cherry Juice For Sleep? (n.d.). http://www.poison.org. Retrieved February 26, 2024, from https://www.poison.org/articles/should-you-use-tart-cherry-juice-for-sleep
- National Institutes of Health. (2016). Office of Dietary Supplements – Magnesium. National Institutes of Health. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
- Harvard School of Public Health. (2019, October 21). Magnesium. The Nutrition Source. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/magnesium/
