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Sleep is crucial to our well-being, but these days, restless nights and insomnia are unfortunately common. On TikTok, Internet users think they have found the miracle solution: the “Sleepy Girl Mocktail”. This drink combines tart cherry juice, magnesium, and prebiotic soda. Would this mocktail really bring peaceful sleep? Experts doubt it.
On TikTok, wellness influencers are currently promoting a remedy that supposedly helps you fall asleep.
A mocktail with three ingredients
Called the “Sleepy Girl Mocktail,” this concoction requires just three ingredients: tart cherry juice, magnesium powder, and prebiotic soda. This creation was popularized by Gracie Norton, an American influencer, whose video attracted more than a million curious people. According to her, these ingredients would be “a perfect marriage” to fall asleep peacefully. And she wouldn’t be the only one. The hashtag #SleepyGirlMocktail has over 50 million views on TikTok.
At first glance, this evening cocktail seems harmless to your health. But does it really keep its promises? While tart cherry juice and magnesium contain melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep, their effectiveness in falling asleep remains a matter of debate. At present, there are still too few studies on the subject to draw definitive conclusions, and those available have been carried out on limited samples.
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A placebo effect?
According to Marie Pierre St-Onge, professor of nutritional medicine at Columbia University, contacted by the New York Times, cherry juice does contain melatonin, but in minimal quantities compared to products specifically designed to promote sleep. One study found that 100 grams of tart cherry juice contained about 0.01 percent of a milligram of melatonin.
As for magnesium powder, although it is recommended to improve sleep, there is no solid scientific evidence to confirm its sleep-inducing aspect. A 2022 study of nine articles on this supplement showed links between taking magnesium and better sleep, but randomized controlled trials often concluded there was no significant effect.
As for the prebiotic soda, such as the Olipop used in the recipe, its usefulness for better sleep is uncertain. “While there is some evidence that prebiotics may promote better sleep, prebiotic sodas are expensive and it’s hard to tell if they have an immediate impact”, explains dietician Samantha Cassetty for Today. “Ingredients in prebiotic sodas can cause digestive upset like bloating, gas, and diarrhea, and they don’t offer the benefits of prebiotic-rich whole foods“. Other videos on TikTok also offer alternative recipes, replacing this soda with sparkling water.
According to Dr. Pieter Cohen, associate professor at Harvard Medical School, this mocktail remains harmless to health. However, he emphasizes in the columns of the New York Times that its effectiveness could arise from the placebo effect, emphasizing the power of conviction.
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