Is TikTok’s ‘sleepy girl mocktail’ a cure-all for insomnia or a powerful placebo? Experts weigh in on what the science says about drinking tart cherry juice for a peaceful slumber.

If there was a quick-fix solution to guarantee a better night’s sleep, would you take it? Most people’s answer would be a firm yes. Sleep is one of the most sought-after commodities of our time; everyone wants more of it, or at least a better quality snooze than what they’re getting now. 

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, nearly half (48 per cent) of all Aussie adults report at least two sleep-related problems. Whether it’s insomnia, sleep apnoea, not enough sleep, too much sleep, snoring, poor sleep quality, restless leg syndrome, or a combination of them, sleep issues are some of the most pervasive and disruptive health conditions around. 

Thus, it makes sense that people online are doing everything they can to seek solutions for a better night’s sleep – often going beyond the usual tried-and-tested methods. The ‘sleepy girl mocktail’ has been doing the rounds on TikTok over the past few months, with creators claiming it’s the ultimate addition to your nighttime routine to unlock a more satisfying rest. 

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The recipe is simple: magnesium powder blended in pure tart cherry juice, and topped off with a hit of prebiotic soda and pomegranate seeds, if you’re feeling fancy. It’s a little like the process of making an Aperol spritz, if you added an energy supplement – the difference being that this mocktail is meant to send you into slumber, not keep you up. 

The drink first took off after creator Gracie Norton (@gracie_norton) posted a video of her mixing up the concoction on TikTok in March 2023, before posting a more detailed breakdown of the process in November. 

Norton says she doesn’t drink the mocktail every night, only at the end of the luteal phase of her menstruation cycle (which prepares the uterus for pregnancy by thickening the lining of the uterus) – which is when she personally struggles to sleep. 

She also posted a recipe for ‘Sleepy girl slushy’, which involves blending two cubes of pure tart cherry juice, two cubes of raspberry-flavoured Bobby prebiotic soda, a scoop of Cocowhip (a coconut milk-based soft serve), a handful of frozen strawberries, a scoop of magnesium, powder and the rest of the can of Bobby. 

@gracie_norton the only time i struggle with sleep is right at the end of my luteal phase! This is working WONDERS!! 💛 (not something im planning on drinking every single night, just near the end of my luteal phase! #healthyhabits #mocktails #bettersleep #sleep ♬ The Lazy Song – Galuh

To serve, Norton places a dollop of Cocowhip at the bottom of a glass, topping it with her frozen blend before digging in. But as viral as these sleepy mocktails have gone online, the experts aren’t so sure there’s any truth behind the claims. A preliminary study conducted back in 2010 found that tart cherry juice “can modestly improve sleep in older adults with insomnia.” The results were similar to other natural products for insomnia, the most common of which are valerian root and melatonin (in some cases). 

However, it also notes that the results were “considerably less than those for evidence-based treatments of insomnia: hypnotic agents and cognitive-behavioural therapies”. 

Registered dietitian Kim Yawitz told Men’s Health last year that it’s currently unproven whether tart cherry juice deserves all the hype it’s getting, “simply because there haven’t been a lot of large human trials on it. We know that tart cherry juice is a good source of antioxidants, and there’s some evidence that drinking it daily can reduce cellular damage and inflammation.”

But when it comes to a statistically significant impact on sleep? The jury’s still out. 

Magnesium’s benefits carry more weight than cherry juice, with a number of studies showing it can promote relaxation and stress reduction, leading to improved sleep, per Medical News Today. 

Magnesium is one of the minerals required by the human body for nerve transmission, muscle contraction and musculoskeletal health, which is ingested in food or as a supplement powder. 

A diet without enough magnesium (which is not naturally occurring in the body, thus must be ingested), can lead to a “higher risk of health problems such as heart attack, stroke, diabetes or osteoporosis,” per Health Direct Australia. It’s often recommended to those who experience muscle cramps – certainly a cause of a poor quality and length of sleep. 

@gracie_norton IDK HOW I HAVEN’T TRIED THIS SOONER!! 🤍🍒 its so refreshing & a fun way to mix up your magnesium before bed! (I usually mix it with water or a prebiotic soda. i wouldn’t drink this on a daily basis but its such a fun way to change it up)! #easyrecipe #healthyrecipes #healthyrecipes #bettersleep #sleep #drinkrecipe ♬ Sweet Sunset – Tollan Kim & dulai

However, when it comes to the “sleepy girl mocktail” as a whole, Dr Pieter Cohen, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, says these concoctions are based less on science than “entirely magical thinking.”

But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad thing. The power of placebo is well documented, with Harvard Health reporting “science has found that under the right circumstances, a placebo can be just as effective as traditional treatments.” 

Cohen concurs, telling the New York Times that “If you start taking anything and you start believing that it allows you to go to sleep – that belief is really powerful.” 

This article was originally published on bodyandsoul.com.au. It has been reproduced here with permission. 

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