OH if only getting better sleep was as simple as drinking a potion.
Well, that’s what TikTokers are currently claiming – the ‘sleepy girl mocktail’ is receiving good reviews, and so I had to give it a try.
I tried the sleepy girl mocktail for a week, taking it around half an hour before sleepThe Sun
ShutterstockThe mocktail is made with tart cherry juice[/caption]
The SunThe ingredients are tart cherry juice, magnesium powder and sparkling water or soda water[/caption]
But not just for one night… I gave the sleep aid a thorough week-long review.
As a health journalist, I’m well aware of what it takes to get a good night’s sleep – no screens before bed, eating dinner earlier, a relaxing bath, etc.
But the idea of something more instant, and less like hard work, is appealing.
Scrolling through countless videos of girls trialling the mocktail on TikTok, Emilie Kiser (emiliekiser) says she ‘slept like a baby’, while Maddison Lynn (maddison__lynn) says she drinks the tipple when she wants ‘the best sleep of her life’.
I am more fearful, however, of the warnings of diarrhoea.
Some report the ingredients are like a laxative, with one woman (badtherapy.podcast) warning others she was on the toilet all day having drank the mocktail the night before.
Read on to find out how I got on, but firstly what is the ‘sleepy girl mocktail’?
Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients…
The recipe for the ‘sleepy girl mocktail’ is:
Tart cherry juice (Montmorency cherries)
Magnesium powder
Soda or sparkling water
Upon first looking at the ingredients, I’m not entirely cynical about the sleep-inducing potential.
Tart cherry juice is among the ingredients with “natural sedative effects that can help calm the mind and promote a sense of relaxation, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night,” says Max Kirsten, resident sleep expert for Panda London.
“There is some evidence to suggest that consuming pure tart cherry juice may help promote sleepiness and improve sleep quality.
“Tart cherries are a natural source of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle.”
Melatonin is produced naturally by the body in response to nightfall.
Tart cherries also contain a small amount of tryptophan, an essential amino acid that can only be consumed through the diet, that helps with the production of melatonin and serotonin (a happy hormone).
Max went on: “A 2010 study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that consuming tart cherry juice increased melatonin levels and improved sleep quality in adults with insomnia.
“Another study published in the same journal in 2018 found that drinking tart cherry juice twice a day for two weeks improved sleep quality and duration in adults over the age of 50.”
Magnesium has a calming effect on the nervous system, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.
Max Kirsten
While both studies were small (less than 15 volunteers in each), both concluded that cherry juice increased sleep time and quality.
Alex Glover, nutrition development lead at Holland & Barrett, said: “If you enjoy the taste of cherry juice then there is no harm in incorporating it into your diet – after all, a 150ml glass will count towards one of your five a day and you will benefit from the anthocyanins (the antioxidant that give cherries their dark red colour).”
Magnesium is often touted as a sleep-aid, as Max explains: “Magnesium is a mineral that plays a crucial role in many bodily functions, including the regulation of sleep.
“Magnesium powder supplements, when taken before bedtime, can help promote relaxation and improve sleep quality.
“Magnesium has a calming effect on the nervous system, which can help reduce feelings of anxiety and promote relaxation, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.”
It also helps with the production of the necessary melatonin, he says.
The magnesium powder that TikTokers (mostly in the US) are using is from Moon Juice, which claims to be the ‘Home of the Sleepy Girl Mocktail’ on its website.
It costs $34 without factoring in the price of shipping so I’m reluctant to buy it without concrete evidence it will work.
In a lot of the TikToks, women are using soda (as in, the American word for fizzy drink) to top up their mocktails.
But considering most fizzy drinks contain high amounts of sugar, I don’t see the benefit in this and will stick to sparkling water made in the Sodastream.
What about the ‘laxative’ risks?
What I’m not so keen on are the potential laxative effects of the mocktail.
Tart cherry juice contains sorbitol, a type of sugar alcohol that can cause stomach pain and diarrhoea for some, according to Healthline.
Reportedly it is essential to get magnesium glycinate, and not magnesium citrate, which is used for the relief of constipation.
Holland & Barrett say: “Magnesium citrate is typically used to help with constipation as it can have a laxative effect.
“This is thought to be because it has an effect on the intestinal tract, as well as promoting the release and activation of certain hormones and enzymes.”
However, it adds that “most forms of magnesium” have a “bit of a laxative effect”.
Magnesium citrate is the only one I can get my hands on at first, which may say a lot about the sudden influx of demand for magnesium glycinate.
I take the plunge and to my relief, I did not get a dodgy tummy.
However, I did become a little more regular, so I would caution those with tummy issues to avoid magnesium citrate.
Putting it to the test…
I tried the mocktail after roughly two weeks of bad sleep.
I have a sleep condition that causes me to wake in the night feeling panicky and disorientated, which makes it hard to fall asleep, too.
I made the mocktail as per the instructions on the products to make sure I am not overdosing anything.
I felt very still, which helped my heart rate and all those other vitals to come into place and take me off to dreamyland
Vanessa
There is no doubt that the mocktail tastes good. It’s very sweet.
I try and drink it fast then brush my teeth straight away and get into bed, ready for it to do its work.
Night one: At first I use Holland & Barrett Concentrated Dark Cherry Juice (£12.99 for 500ml, 25 servings) with its Magnesium 375mg Powder, (£16.99 for 200g, 75 servings).
This is magnesium citrate, so I was worried about my tummy.
I took the drink at 9pm, wrote in my journal before picking up a book.
The words got pretty difficult to read after about two pages – some 20 minutes after the drink. I very rarely get sleepy reading a book.
So I took my chances and turned the lights out.
My body felt more relaxed. This is a key benefit for people like me who fidget while trying to get to sleep.
I felt very still, which helped my heart rate and all those other vitals to come into place and take me off to dreamyland.
I slept through the night without waking once – the first time in over a week.
No severe tummy issues to report, although I went in the morning which is unusual for me.
Night two: The mocktail didn’t work as well as the night prior, but I still got to sleep quicker than normal.
Again, it seems to be the relaxation of muscles that instigates sleep.
I had vivid dreams but woke up minutes before my alarm feeling rested.
Night three: I’m still getting the very slightly woozy feeling minutes after having the drink.
But tonight, my sleep was as disturbed as it usually is and I’m having vivid dreams that are waking me up. It’s hard to tell if the mocktail is contributing to this.
Night four: I’ve switched up the ingredients, still having the Concentrated Dark Cherry Juice but taking magnesium supplements – Nutri Advanced Magnesium Glycinate (£21.95 for 120 tablets).
The benefit is that I am now using the correct form of magnesium.
I didn’t particularly see any difference in my sleep, but I had been watching a gripping TV programme just moments before bed, which easily could have kept my thoughts stirring.
Still, I believe I was asleep within half an hour of shutting my eyes.
Night five: I finally hit upon the best concoction – the cherry juice with Nutri Advanced MegaMag® Calmeze (£37.36 for 270g, 30 servings) ; a powdered form of ‘highly absorbable magnesium glycinate’.
I down the drink, have a 10-minute phone call then turn the lights out.
It was 9.45pm and I was asleep very quickly. Incredible – I am used to bedtimes of 11pm onwards.
Night six: I tested the drink at my partner’s house, and it still did the trick.
I can spend an hour or so tossing and turning, willing sleep to come.
But I was asleep before I even heard a murmur of a snore from my partner and don’t remember waking in the night.
My honest verdict…
In my opinion, the sleepy girl mocktail works.
It appeared to relax my muscles which in turn, signalled to my brain that it was time to sleep.
I would caveat that I trialled the sleepy girl mocktail in January, when I was drinking and socialising less.
My sleeping pattern was more consistent, which goes a long way for improving sleep generally, and I was exercising in the morning, which apparently can help with sleep, too.
I wouldn’t want anyone to think it will cure their insomnia, but it’s worth a go.
As explained above, I would try and get the magesium glycinate in powder form over magnesium citrate, but generally, magnesium is a well-sought after supplement for sleep.
If you’re reading this, you’re likely seeking better sleep.
So why not read The Sun’s full sleep guide, part of our January Health Kick series, which includes tips for coping with disturbances such as snoring partners, worries and kids.