Did you spend all last night tossing and turning? TikTok wellness influencers would recommend you sip a sleepy girl mocktail—a mix of tart cherry juice, magnesium powder and a splash of seltzer—to get more shuteye.
Wondering if it works? According to scientific evidence, the answer is probably not.
A Closer Look at the Mocktail’s Ingredients
Tart cherry juice—the main ingredient in the sleepy girl mocktail—does contain melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy. But the amount is nowhere near a therapeutic dose.
According to one study, researchers found only around .01% of a milligram of melatonin in 100 grams (i.e., four ounces) of tart cherry juice. In addition, studies to test tart cherry juice’s effectiveness as a sleep aid have been few, with the number of participants in them relatively small.
Magnesium powder, the other sleep-inducing ingredient in the mocktail, has a mixed reputation as a successful sleep supplement. A 2022 review of nine papers on magnesium revealed that a few observational studies linked taking magnesium with better sleep, but several random controlled trials determined it had no effect.
The Allure of the Sleep-Inducing Beverage
Drinking something to help you drift off to dreamland isn’t new. As a child, you may have been encouraged by a parent to drink a glass of warm milk before getting under the covers. Or perhaps, as an adult, you enjoy a cup of chamomile tea every now and then as part of your nightly bedtime ritual.
While homemade remedies like these and the sleepy girl mocktail can help you relax, you may be disappointed if you expect them to give you a good night’s sleep.
A better way to ensure you get the rejuvenating rest you need? Seek help from our expert sleep team—request an appointment today!