Picture this: You wake up after getting just a few hours of sleep. How do you feel? Probably groggy and definitely less-than-ready to face the day.

Chronic lack of sleep can also take a toll on your overall health, leading to health conditions like high blood pressure or depression. But, data shows that only a third of people in the U.S. regularly get the recommended hours of sleep per night (about 7-8 hours for adults).

With so many people struggling to get the shut-eye they need, it’s no surprise that sleep hacks like the TikTok Sleepy Girl Mocktail are everywhere.

Read on to find out more about the Internet’s favorite dreamy beverage and how to make your own DIY sleepy mocktail with the help of Moon Juice.

What is the Sleepy Girl Mocktail?

The Sleepy Girl Mocktail is a nighttime beverage recipe originally posted by Gracie Norton on TikTok in collaboration with Moon Juice. It’s since gone viral and has become a popular bedtime beverage to have during wind-down time in the evenings to help promote restful sleep.

The simple recipe for this viral drink includes just four ingredients: ice, tart cherry juice, Moon Juice Magnesium powder, and your mix-in of choice.

Sleepy Girl Mocktail Recipe

Here’s what you need to create the Sleepy Girl Mocktail:

• Ice
• ½ cup of pure tart cherry juice
• 1 tablespoon of Berry Magnesi-Om
• Sparkling water or lemon-lime soda

You can use a regular cup to create this fruity bedtime drink or a cocktail shaker for a true mocktail vibe.

Add ice to your cup or shaker, then add pure tart cherry juice and magnesium powder, and fill the rest of the cup with your choice of lemon-lime soda or sparkling water.

If using a cocktail shaker, tightly close the lid and shake, then pour your mixture into your favorite glassware — a highball glass works well for this tart cherry juice mocktail.

Does the Sleepy Girl Mocktail Actually Work?

The Sleepy Girl Mocktail won’t instantly knock you out, but there’s clear evidence that its ingredients — tart cherry juice and Magnesium — have sleep-inducing qualities. In fact, there are many health benefits of tart cherry juice.

How Magnesium & Tart Cherry Juice Help You Sleep

Okay, so how does this fruity bedtime mocktail actually promote sleep?

Tart cherry juice has naturally-occurring melatonin

First up, the tart cherry juice in this recipe is a natural source of melatonin, a hormone your brain produces to let your body know it’s time to gear up for sleep. There’s evidence that taking melatonin supplements can help with jet lag and some sleep disorders.

• In one small 2010 study, researchers looked at the effects of tart cherry juice on sleep in 15 healthy older adults with insomnia. They found that the juice had moderately beneficial effects on sleep.
• Another more recent 2018 study involving 11 older adults with sleep issues found that drinking 240 mL of tart cherry juice twice a day for 2 weeks helped participants increase their overall sleep time.
• In a 2022 study involving female elite field hockey players, intake of tart cherry juice had no effect on melatonin levels. However, there was a link between tart cherry juice and improved sleep quality.

Tart cherry juice also contains compounds that help control inflammation, which may positively impact sleep quality.

Magnesium has a relaxing effect 

Magnesium is a mineral that works on the central nervous system, promoting relaxation and making it easier to fall asleep.

It works on the part of your brain responsible for the stress response, helping to alleviate anxiety and instill a sense of calm. Magnesium also helps to control muscle contractions, another possible mechanism through which it promotes relaxation.

Additionally, Magnesium helps balance melatonin levels in your body, ensuring your sleep-wake cycle is properly regulated for healthy sleep.

Create Your Sleepy Girl Mocktail With Moon Juice

You can use Moon Juice’s Magnesium supplement to create your own Sleepy Girl concoction.

Use the same Sleepy Girl mocktail ingredients to make this viral drink:

• 2oz tart cherry juice
• 10oz sparkling water
• 1 tsp Magnesi-Om®, our Magnesium powder supplement.

Magnesi-Om® contains 3 bioavailable forms of Magnesium plus L-Theanine to help restore cellular balance for relaxation, better sleep quality, brain health, and regularity.* Chelated Magnesium Gluconate and Acetyl Taurinate support muscle relaxation and cognitive function, while Magnesium Citrate supports regular bowel movements.* L-Theanine promotes alpha‑wave activity in the brain, shown to encourage a focused calm.*

Bottom Line

Having trouble getting the beauty sleep you need? Try the viral Sleepy Girl Mocktail recipe to incorporate a natural sleep aid into your nightly routine. Prep and drink the tart cherry mocktail about 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime to prime your body for dreamland.

If you’re looking for drinks to help you sleep, the Sleepy Girl Mocktail recipe is the perfect beverage. Use Moon Juice’s Magnesium powder as your source of Magnesium to help initiate a state of calm and relaxation.

Sweet dreams!