Does TikTok's "Sleepy Girl Mocktail" work? I am a sleep science coach.

Does TikTok's "Sleepy Girl Mocktail" work? I am a sleep science coach.

Open up TikTok to watch the Sleepy Girl Mocktail video. I am a sleep science coach and my job is to test anything designed to help you sleep better, from natural sleep aids to the best mattresses in the world. Yes, I am paid to sleep.

I have to admit, when I first heard the term Sleepy Girl Mocktail, I rolled my eyes and thought, "Here comes another fad." It's tart cherry juice and magnesium, which contain tryptophan and melatonin. Both are good for sleep, so I was intrigued.

I decided to make myself a Sleepy Girl Mocktail and dig a little deeper into this TikTok-fueled sleep hack to see if it could improve my night's sleep. Pour in a generous amount of tart cherry juice, add one serving of magnesium powder and soda water. Spin this around in your favorite cocktail glass or bottle with ice, and you've got yourself a Sleepy Girl Mocktail.

The two key ingredients here are tart cherry juice and magnesium powder. So why these two ingredients? Do these two ingredients actually help you sleep better, faster, and longer?

The good news is that tart cherry juice does contain melatonin. However, it contains only a very small amount (see below). This is because raw juice is full of antioxidants and has no added sugar, which can make it hard to sleep and delay bedtime.

So what about magnesium? The TikTok in question lists Moon Juice's Magnesi-Om, which contains L-theanine, chelated magnesium gluconate and magnesium acetyltaurate, and magnesium citrate. According to Moon Juice, all you need is a teaspoon, which is a good thing considering that a pot costs $34.

Research on both ingredients is limited, and studies on whether magnesium improves sleep quality are so far inconclusive. Here is what we do know about them:

Tart cherry juice contains very small amounts of melatonin (a hormone that induces sleepiness) and an amino acid called tryptophan. Tryptophan plays many roles in the body, including making serotonin (a hormone that balances mood). A byproduct of this is melatonin.

As noted above, tart cherry juice contains melatonin, but only in small amounts; according to a 2017 pilot study, 100 mg of tart cherry juice contains 0.135 micrograms of melatonin. The recommended intake of melatonin for sleep is 0.5-5 mg.

Magnesium is a mineral that the body depends on to perform hundreds of different tasks. Although magnesium is a popular sleep aid (magnesium glycinate is considered the best for rest), science is still investigating the link between magnesium and better sleep. As a result, there is currently no conclusive evidence that magnesium will help you sleep better.

Nevertheless, I take magnesium glycinate every night. It helps me sleep better. This is because magnesium is excellent for relaxing muscles and staving off RLS attacks.

The good thing about Sleepy Girl Mocktail is that it contains no alcohol, caffeine, or other sleep-inducing stimulants. While there is no primary scientific evidence to support that these ingredients are powerful sleep aids, many people swear by them for a good night's sleep.

As a sleep science coach, I don't see anything harmful in Sleepy Girl Mocktail, but don't expect to "sleep like a baby" as TikTok claims. I have a 17-month-old baby and no one sleeps like a baby.

Frankly, it's better to eat healthy foods rich in magnesium, protein, and amino acids, including tryptophan.

A Sleepy Girl mocktail would also be a good addition to your routine.

Always consult a qualified physician or sleep therapist if you suspect you have a sleep disorder or problem.

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