The “sleepy girl mocktail” went viral on TikTok in 2023: tart cherry juice, magnesium powder and a fizzy topping, sipped before bed. It is pleasant, it has no alcohol, and the two main ingredients have both been studied for sleep. But the studies are small, and the drink is not a cure for insomnia. Here is what each ingredient does, how to make it, and who should be careful.
In this article
The short answer
- The drink is tart cherry juice, magnesium powder and sparkling water or prebiotic soda.
- Tart cherry juice contains a little melatonin. Small studies show modest sleep benefits.
- Magnesium may help some older adults fall asleep a bit faster, but the evidence is weak.
- Nobody has studied the mocktail itself.
- It is fine for most healthy adults, but watch the sugar and the magnesium dose.
What is in the sleepy girl mocktail
The basic recipe has three parts:
- Tart cherry juice, about half a cup (120 ml). Montmorency cherries are the type used in studies.
- Magnesium powder, usually one serving of magnesium glycinate or citrate.
- A fizzy topping, such as sparkling water or a prebiotic soda.
Tart cherry juice: what the studies show
Tart cherries contain small amounts of melatonin, the hormone that signals night to your body. They also contain plant compounds that may affect how the body uses tryptophan, a building block of sleep chemicals.
- 2010: 15 older adults with insomnia drank a tart cherry juice blend or a placebo drink twice a day for 2 weeks each. With the cherry juice, they spent a little less time awake during the night. Other sleep measures did not change.
- 2012: 20 healthy adults took tart cherry juice concentrate or a placebo for 7 days. With the cherry juice, their melatonin levels were higher and they slept a little longer.
- 2018: in a tiny study of people over 50 with insomnia, the 8 people who finished slept on average 84 minutes longer in a sleep lab after two weeks of cherry juice. With so few people, this result needs to be confirmed.
Most of these studies used a full cup (240 ml) of juice twice a day, or a concentrate. A typical mocktail uses less.
Magnesium: what the studies show
Magnesium is a mineral involved in hundreds of processes in the body, including nerve and muscle function. A 2021 review of three small trials in older adults found that magnesium helped people fall asleep about 17 minutes faster than placebo. Total sleep time did not change in a clear way, and the authors rated the evidence as low quality.
People who are low in magnesium may be the most likely to benefit. Many adults do not get enough from food, and good food sources include nuts, seeds, beans, leafy greens and whole grains.
Which type of magnesium?
- Glycinate is gentle on the stomach and is a common choice for this drink.
- Citrate is absorbed well but can loosen stools.
- Oxide is cheap but poorly absorbed, and more likely to cause diarrhoea.
Myth vs fact
Myth: The sleepy girl mocktail works like a sleeping pill. Fact: Each ingredient has a small effect at best, and the drink as a whole has never been tested. Part of the benefit may simply come from having a calm bedtime ritual.
How to make it
Try this recipe
- Pour half a cup (120 ml) of unsweetened tart cherry juice into a glass.
- Stir in one serving of magnesium glycinate powder, as stated on the label.
- Top up with sparkling water or a low-sugar prebiotic soda, and add ice.
- Drink it about an hour before bed, so you are not up in the night to use the bathroom.
Downsides to know about
- Sugar: even unsweetened tart cherry juice has natural sugar, often around 15 grams in half a cup, depending on the brand. Some juices and sodas add more. This matters if you have diabetes or are watching your weight.
- Magnesium dose: the US National Institutes of Health sets an upper limit of 350 mg a day of magnesium from supplements for adults. More can cause diarrhoea, nausea and cramps.
- Kidney disease: people with kidney problems cannot clear magnesium well and should not take supplements without a doctor’s advice.
- Medicines: magnesium can reduce the absorption of some antibiotics and osteoporosis drugs. Ask a pharmacist about timing.
- Cost: tart cherry juice and magnesium powder together cost more than most sleep habits, which are free.
Who might benefit
- People who want a non-alcoholic evening drink as part of a wind-down routine.
- People who may be low in magnesium.
- Older adults with mild sleep complaints, who were the group in most of the studies.
It is unlikely to help with sleep problems caused by stress, pain, sleep apnea, shift work or a late body clock. Those need different approaches.
Better-proven habits to pair it with
If you enjoy the mocktail, use it as a signal that the day is ending, and combine it with habits that have stronger evidence: a fixed wake-up time, dim light in the evening, no caffeine after early afternoon, and a cool, dark bedroom. Our guide to natural melatonin alternatives covers other foods and teas, and our look at sleepmaxxing covers other viral sleep trends.
When to see a doctor
If you have trouble sleeping three or more nights a week for months, talk to a doctor. Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the recommended first treatment. Also see a doctor if you snore loudly, wake up gasping, or are very sleepy during the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drink the sleepy girl mocktail every night?
For most healthy adults, yes, as long as you keep the magnesium within the label dose and account for the sugar. Check with a doctor if you have kidney disease or diabetes, or take regular medicine.
How long does it take to work?
The studies on tart cherry juice ran for 1 to 2 weeks. If you notice no change after a couple of weeks, it probably is not helping you.
Can I use magnesium pills instead of powder?
Yes. The form and dose matter more than whether it is a pill or a powder.
What if I do not like tart cherry juice?
You can skip it. Kiwifruit has a small study suggesting it may help sleep. Chamomile tea is another calming, caffeine-free option.
Can children drink it?
Tart cherry juice is fine as an occasional drink, but do not give children magnesium supplements without asking a doctor.
Can I add alcohol?
It is better not to. Alcohol makes sleep lighter and more broken in the second half of the night, which works against the point of the drink.
Conclusion
The sleepy girl mocktail is a pleasant, mostly harmless bedtime drink with some science behind each ingredient. The effects are small, and the drink itself has not been studied. Enjoy it if you like it, keep an eye on the sugar and magnesium, and rely on steady sleep habits to do the heavy lifting.
Sources
- Pigeon WR, et al. Effects of a tart cherry juice beverage on the sleep of older adults with insomnia: a pilot study. J Med Food, 2010.
- Howatson G, et al. Effect of tart cherry juice on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. Eur J Nutr, 2012.
- Losso JN, et al. Pilot study of the tart cherry juice for the treatment of insomnia and investigation of mechanisms. Am J Ther, 2018.
- Mah J, Pitre T. Oral magnesium supplementation for insomnia in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complement Med Ther, 2021.
- Abbasi B, et al. The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly. J Res Med Sci, 2012.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Magnesium: fact sheet for consumers.
- Lin HH, et al. Effect of kiwifruit consumption on sleep quality in adults with sleep problems. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 2011.
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