The Science Behind the "Sleepy Girl Mocktail"

After patiently waiting for tart cherry juice to restock on the shelves of the grocery store, this week I was finally able to get some and test out the viral “sleepy-girl mocktail”. Before trying it out for myself however, I wanted to learn the science behind it. 

The “sleepy-girl mocktail” is essentially a combination of tart cherry juice, magnesium, and any kind of sparkling beverage (I used the rest of an Olipop I had opened) served over ice in a wine glass. I think the wine glass part is the only essential part in making this drink be considered a mocktail, and it just makes it more fun in my opinion. 

I knew that magnesium is a natural relaxant for the body but I had never known the effects of tart cherry juice. Not only can tart cherry juice promote a better night’s sleep, but it is also said to aid in fighting inflammation, help with sore muscles, and boost the immune system. With further research I also found that it helps with heart health, like reducing the risk of heart disease and lowering blood pressure. Although the aid in sleep from the juice kicks in within just a couple of hours, after about 6-8 weeks the body can start to see the long-term effects this supplement has. It has been said that tart cherry juice “starts healing your body from the inside”. 

Any natural form of attaining all of these benefits has always been appealing to me, and after learning about what tart cherry juice does I am so interested to see if I notice any differences within the coming weeks. As stated before, I have known about the benefits of magnesium for a while, and I think the combination of the two is what creates the “sleepiness” chemical reaction of the drink on the body. 

However, one thing that most people are not aware of is in order to achieve the effect of tiredness, it is essential to use magnesium glycinate as opposed to magnesium citrate. The difference is not clearly highlighted on bottles and packages so it is important to take a closer look at the smaller writing when picking it up at the store. Magnesium glycinate is the type of magnesium that aids in sleep, as well as calming the brain and causing muscle relaxation. Magnesium citrate on the other hand is used to boost overall magnesium levels in the body and support the digestive and cardiovascular systems. Citrate is also known to “kickstart” the digestive process if you know what I mean (what I mean is that it is sometimes used to treat constipation), so it is important to know which kind you are using before making this drink. 

My overall observations from the drink are as follows: I loved how it tasted, the taste was sort of like cranberry juice but the fizz from the Olipop diluted it a bit and took away the extreme tart flavor. No part of it hurt my stomach in any way, and I have always struggled with new things I try hurting my stomach. I do feel as though I got a better night's sleep after drinking the drink and was able to fall asleep a lot quicker than usual. It could be part placebo effect but I believe that the benefits of both supplements working together formed this kind of reaction. It is safe to say that I will be adding this drink into my bedtime routine.