My team of CNET sleep experts and I are always looking for the best ways of getting a good night's sleep. Between testing mattresses and researching melatonin supplements, we make time to fact-check viral social media videos. Naturally, when the "Sleepy Girl Mocktail" made its rounds on TikTok and Instagram last year, I had to test its claim of being a sleep-aid-free drink by trying it for myself.
A week before I sat down to write this article, when the drink first became popular, I went to the store in search of the ingredients. Down the juice aisle at my local Publix, each shelf was stocked with rows of cranberry, apple, beet, tomato, various V8 and prune juice. But when I reached the organic juice shelf, an entire section was completely empty. The tart cherry juice was gone.
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The tart cherry juice was flying off the shelves. Caroline Igo/CNET
This isn't a one-off experience. This seems to happen whenever there's a new viral TikTok trend. Whether it's fashion or an intriguing skincare trend, TikTok drives people in waves to new products. Not all TikTok trends are safe -- take the Nyquil Chicken videos, for example. So, is the "sleepy girl mocktail" even a good idea?
I've been writing about all things sleep for years now. Here's a sleep expert's take on the Sleepy Girl Mocktail, and if I think it's worth stalking your local grocery store for new shipments of tart cherry juice.
What is the Sleepy Girl Mocktail?
While the original creator, Gracie Norton, first posted the Sleepy Girl Mocktail recipe in March of 2023, the trend seemed to pick up again around Dry January. TikTok creators were sharing their favorite mocktail recipes, and this brought the Sleepy Girl Mocktail back into the conversation. While the mocktail looks like an everyday non-alcoholic drink, its ingredients encourage restful sleep.
This drink is simple to make. First, start with a glass -- this could be a cocktail glass, a wine glass or an ordinary glass -- and fill it with about half a cup of tart cherry juice. It's important to get tart cherry juice that's not full of added sugar; it should be 100% pure cherry juice, ideally not from concentrate. Then, mix in about a teaspoon to a tablespoon of magnesium powder and top it off with ice and sparkling water or a soda of your choice. Creators tend to use prebiotic soda -- Olipop or Poppi are options we've seen -- which contain less sugar and have some gut-friendly benefits.
These measurements are not exact. You can add as much cherry juice or sparkling water as you like. It's important to follow the recommended serving size of your chosen magnesium supplement, as some people may react to too much magnesium initially.
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