It is an elusive thing, the perfect night’s sleep. Something that we all tirelessly (or tiredly) search for. In fact, new statistics show that nearly four in every ten Australians regularly experiencing insufficient sleep. In other words, it’s time to get some sleep dust for us all.
Well, there’s a certain drink that’s answering the call, promising to deliver that perfect slumber – and it is aptly named the ‘sleepy girl mocktail’.
Amassing more than 5.4M views on Tiktok, this is one simple drink. While some might adapt to their own tastes (flavoured soda, apple cider vinegar, and essential oils seem to be part of the convo), essentially it consists of three main ingredients; tart cherry juice, magnesium and soda water.
But does it actually work? New research suggests there’s a bit going for the bright-hued elixir.
@kaylagresh been in my sleepy girl mocktail era 😴💗✨ save mocktail recipe for later! Magnesium powder in my amazon SF under “kitchen” ✨ #sleepygirl #sleepygirlmocktail #mocktailrecipe #mocktail #thatgirl #satisfyingvideo #satisfyingsounds #asmr #asmrsounds #recipeasmr ♬ One kiss x i was Never There (薛易 Remix) – 薛易
Can cherry juice help me sleep?
Bitter and bright, cherry juice has been proven to not only improve overall sleep, but also improve the quantity of sleep and reduce patterns of insomnia. This could be due to the presence of melatonin, the hormone that regulates night and day cycles or sleep-wake cycles.
Charlotte Gupta, postdoctoral research fellow at CQUniversity Australia, stated that “Tart cherry varieties such as Jerte Valley or Montmorency have the highest concentration of melatonin (approximately 1.35 micrograms of melatonin per 100g of cherry juice). Over the counter melatonin supplements can range from 0.5 milligram to over 100 milligrams, with research suggesting those beginning to take melatonin start with a dose of 0.5–2 milligrams to see an improvement in sleep.”
Gupta went on to say that if we are drinking cherry juice in a bid for better sleep, it’s important to think about when you’re going to imbibe. “we should be timing our intake with our natural increase in melatonin. Supplementing melatonin too close to bed will mean we may not get the sleep-promoting benefits in time to get off to sleep easily. Taking melatonin too late may even harm our long-term sleep health by sending the message to our body clock to delay the release of melatonin until later in the evening.”
Can magnesium help me sleep?
Magnesium promotes melatonin and magnesium supplements been shown to improve sleep outcomes. Give us more!
Having said that, the jury is still out on exactly how much magnesium each person needs to take in order for it to provide concrete sleep benefits. What we do know is that magnesium is vital in supporting bone development and energy production. It’s something that we should incorporate in our daily diet intake with certain foods boasting higher levels, including pumpkin seeds, wheat cereal or bread, almonds, cashews, artichokes, beans, soy milk, spinach and dark chocolate.
What about soda water before bed?
Everyone loves, and needs, a bit of hydration – so slurp away. It is important to time your fluid intake though before bed. After all, we don’t want to be getting up frequently, and disrupting our r&r.
Healthy sleep recommendations include avoiding water intake in the two hours before bed. Having carbonated beverages too close to bed can also trigger digestive symptoms such as bloating, gassiness and reflux during the night.
What else to know in regards to the sleepy girl mocktail?
All in all, Gupta outlined five things to be mindful of when testing the trend:
- timing: to get the benefits of this drink, avoid having it too close to bed. Aim to have it two hours before your usual bedtime and avoid fluids after this time
- consistency: no drink is going to be an immediate cure for poor sleep. However, this recipe could help promote sleep if used strategically (at the right time) and consistently as part of a balanced diet. It may also introduce a calming evening routine that helps your brain relax and signals it’s time for bed
- maximum magnesium: be mindful of the amount of magnesium you are consuming. While there are many health benefits to magnesium, the recommended daily maximum amounts are 420mg for adult males and 320mg for adult females. Exceeding the maximum can lead to low blood pressure, respiratory distress, stomach problems, muscle weakness and mood problems
- sugar: in some of the TikTok recipes sugar (as flavoured sodas, syrups or lollies) is added to the drink. While this may help hide the taste of the tart cherry juice, the consumption of sugar too close to bed may make it more difficult to get to sleep. And sugar in the evening raises blood sugar levels at a time when our body is not primed to be processing sugar. Long term, this can increase our risk of diabetes
- sleep environment: follow good sleep hygiene practices including keeping a consistent bedtime and wake time, a wind-down routine before bed, avoiding electronic device use like phones or laptops in bed, and avoiding bright light in the evening. Bright light works to suppress our melatonin levels in the evening and make us more alert.
What are some other drinks I can try before bed?
It’s not only about the cherry mocktail – milk and decaffeinated herbal teas can also play a part. Milk, because it contains the amino acid tryptophan, which can promote melatonin production, and herbal teas because they have calming and sleep-promoting compounds. As Gupta suggested above, always be mindful of when you’re sipping to reduce the chances of toilet dashes in the night.
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