TikTok has a new trend: ‘Sleepy Girl Mocktail.’ Does it actually work?
A three-ingredient drink, called “sleepy girl mocktail,” has become popularized on TikTok as a supposed sleep aid.
The viral drink, according to CNN, primarily consists of:
Half a cup of tart cherry juice.
A scoop of magnesium powder.
Either a prebiotic soda or soda water.
In addition, the concoction can be topped with ice, pomegranate seeds or even an orange slice, per Cosmopolitan.
What is the sleepy girl mocktail trend?
According to Today, the recipe was originally posted and initially became viral by TikTok user caleeshea in January 2023. In her video, she makes the beverage without magnesium, using tart cherry juice with no extra sugar and a lemon-ginger flavored Olipop prebiotic soda.
The drink became later popularized by TikTok user gracie_norton, resulting in one of her sleepy girl mocktail videos gaining over 1.5 million views, per Today. In that video, she is seen adding magnesium and other items to the viral drink.
What experts like about the drink
Nutritionist Melissa Pfeister saw the TikTok trend and listed specifically the benefits of tart cherry juice to “Good Morning America.”
“Cherries, whether sweet or tart, are loaded with vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants. Tart cherries however contain natural high amounts of melatonin, the ‘sleepy hormone’ that jumpstarts our body into feeling sleepy.”
However, Pfeister advised “Good Morning America” to be careful what type of magnesium is used in the drink. “Magnesium glycinate helps with relaxation whereas magnesium citrate can help you go to the bathroom. So not the one you need when trying to get a restful night of sleep.”
How some experts disagree with the drink
Dr. Raj Dasgupta, an associate professor at Huntington Health in Pasadena, California, did have some positive words for the drink; however, as reported by CNN, the drink’s effects may be more to do with sleep routine than anything.
Dasgupta stated to CNN that a set schedule signals the body to wind-down and stay in line with a circadian rhythm. He added that the regulation of sleep — getting sleep and waking up from it — is key to achieving a good night’s sleep.
This becomes more evident via The New York Times, which included contradictory research claims of both tart cherry juice and magnesium having a limited, almost ineffective result on sleep, depending on context.
What Dasgupta particularly recommended — for those who want to drink the mocktail — is to ritualize and signify it as a bedtime activity in order to get better sleep, per CNN.
Related
Does the sleepy girl mocktail really work?
Samantha Cassetty, a registered dietitian based in New York City, shared to CNN the drink’s effect on sleep. “I don’t think that it’s necessarily going to be like a magic bullet the minute you consume it, but I do think that the ingredients in it can support healthy sleep.”
Cassetty further explained that the magnesium powder, in particular, calms the body by controlling cortisol, a stress hormone, and promoting melatonin, a sleep hormone. In addition, she claims that the prebiotic soda can promote beneficial gut bacteria, per CNN.
If the drink is worth trying out, family physician Dr. Mike Sevilla advised people to ask their doctor first, according to CBS News. The drink, which contains various vitamins, can interfere with prescription drugs and potentially affect chronic health issues.
Additionally, Sevilla warns the ingredients in the beverage should not be perceived as solutions to severe sleep difficulties.
