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Good sleep is crucial in today’s fast-paced world, and many people are on the lookout for the perfect solution to improve their rest.
This is where the sleepy girl mocktail comes in.
You might have come across the simple recipe on your social media feed: around half a cup of tart cherry juice and a scoop of magnesium powder topped with either a prebiotic soda or soda water.
But does this combination actually deliver results?
“I don’t believe it’s a magical remedy the moment you consume it, but I do think the ingredients can support healthy sleep,” explained Samantha Cassetty, a registered dietitian based in New York City.
Tart cherry juice contains a small amount of melatonin, which has properties to alleviate anxiety, relax muscles, and promote sleep. Additionally, magnesium plays a role in calming the body by controlling the stress hormone cortisol and promoting the sleep hormone melatonin. However, it’s important to use magnesium glycinate and not magnesium citrate, which could cause stomach upset, as recommended by Cassetty. The prebiotic soda is likely included for taste, but it also doesn’t hurt to incorporate prebiotics, which support beneficial gut bacteria, she added.
Dr. Raj Dasgupta, a pulmonary and sleep medicine specialist, tried the mocktail. Although he did not notice improved sleep, he ended up with a large container of 100% tart cherry juice that no one else in his household would drink.
There are several factors to consider before you decide to try or dismiss the sleepy girl mocktail, he remarked.
And of course, if you have any queries about the safety of the ingredients involved, it is advisable to consult your healthcare provider, Dasgupta advised.
The effectiveness of the sleepy girl mocktail may not just lie in its ingredients but also in the routine of making and consuming it.
According to Dasgupta, establishing a regular bedtime and wake-up time is crucial for a good night’s sleep. A consistent wind-down schedule can signal to your body that it’s time for sleep and keep you on track with your circadian rhythm, which regulates your sleep and wakefulness cycles.
“You need to ease into sleep and definitely establish your bedtime routine,” he emphasized.
However, it’s important to time this routine correctly. Consuming too many liquids before bed may result in more frequent awakenings to use the restroom, he cautioned. Timing the intake of melatonin is also key.
Dasgupta suggested having the mocktail with melatonin approximately two hours before bedtime.
The sleepy girl mocktail could serve as a substitute for an evening cocktail (or other alcoholic drink), said Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge, an associate professor of nutritional medicine at Columbia University.
While a glass of wine in the evening may induce drowsiness, evidence indicates that alcohol consumption leads to lower-quality sleep, St-Onge pointed out.
Switching to a nonalcoholic, low-sugar beverage while maintaining the ritual of a drink to signal the start of winding down for the day could help improve your sleep quality, Dasgupta noted.
Although the sleep mocktail might have a positive impact, the experts agreed that various factors can influence sleep quality, and it’s important to consider both your behaviors and potential underlying sleep issues.
Most people obtain sufficient magnesium in their diet and can further increase their intake by consuming foods such as leafy green vegetables, almonds, yogurt, tofu, and brown rice, Dasgupta recommended.
Furthermore, habitual practices like limiting exposure to screens that emit sleep-disrupting blue light or engaging in physical activity for exercise play a significant role in a person’s sleep quality, he added.
For individuals experiencing discomfort in their legs that interferes with sleep or who are informed of excessive snoring, Dasgupta suggested seeking medical advice to investigate potential sleep disorders.
Occasional and short-term sleeplessness is typical and not necessarily cause for concern, but chronic insomnia — characterized by difficulty falling and staying asleep on at least three nights a week for three months — is different, Dasgupta noted.
If you are dealing with chronic insomnia, the most effective treatment typically involves establishing good sleep habits and seeking cognitive behavioral therapy, he suggested.
“If you do have chronic insomnia, it’s important to ensure that cognitive behavioral therapy is always the primary treatment,” Dasgupta stated.
Regardless of the underlying factors contributing to your lack of rest, sleep is a personal experience. Whether the sleepy girl mocktail works for you or not, it’s essential to establish your own approach to achieving a good night’s sleep.
