Does Cherry Juice Really Help You Sleep?

If you’ve poured yourself a glass of red wine to help you fall asleep, you’re not alone. Research shows that 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. report not getting enough sleep and almost 40% of adults report accidentally falling asleep during the day at least once a month. But if you’re trying to get a few more Zs without alcohol, there’s another red liquid you should think about pouring instead: cherry juice. 

Made popular recently by the “Sleepy Girl Mocktail” trend on TikTok, tart cherry juice is becoming all the rage for its link to several health benefits, most notably better sleep.

What Is the Sleepy Girl Mocktail?

The Sleepy Girl Mocktail contains tart cherry juice and another supplement said to help you fall asleep: magnesium. To make the non-alcoholic night cap, you combine ½ cup tart cherry juice with 1 tablespoon magnesium powder in an ice-filled glass, then top it off with lemon-lime seltzer or soda. 

But does it actually work? According to the comments on the TikTok videos, the results are mixed. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when we’re talking about cherry juice.  

Does Tart Cherry Juice Make You Sleepy?

One study using tart cherry juice versus a placebo to treat insomnia found that drinking 2 cups (16 ounces) of tart cherry juice increased sleep time by 84 minutes. Other studies have been able to show similar results, with almost all participants reporting longer sleep time and sleep efficiency (the ratio of total sleep time to time in bed). In other words, the tart cherry juice reduced the dreaded tossing and turning and helped people sleep longer when they were lying in their beds. 

Why Does Tart Cherry Juice Make You Sleepy?

This is because tart cherries are a natural source of melatonin, a hormone in your body that helps regulate your sleep, and tryptophan, the amino acid you might have heard about in turkey that can make you drowsy post Thanksgiving meal. 

It’s important to recognize that we are talking about unsweetened tart cherry juice and not sweetened tart cherry juice or sweet cherries. Tart cherries, also known as sour, dwarf, or Montmorency cherries, are bright red and taste sour compared to deep-red, almost-purple sweet cherries. Unless you live in an area that grows tart cherries, you’ll most likely see tart cherries pressed into juice, dried, or combined with other juices to balance out its tart flavor. 

But if you want to get the health benefits of tart cherry juice, stick with pure tart cherry juice without any added sugar. Added sugar may have the opposite effect of helping you sleep, which may be in part why some TikTok commenters haven’t found success. If they’re using sweetened cherry juice or lemon-lime soda to top off their drinks, the benefits of tart cherry juice and magnesium might be null.

How To Use Tart Cherry Juice for Better Sleep

Want to see if cherry juice can help you sleep? Then try the Sleepy Girl Mocktail but just be sure to “choose 100% unsweetened tart cherry juice and stick to unsweetened seltzer instead of soda,” says Lisa Valente, MS, RD and Nutrition Editor for Healthline.com. “It’s also worth noting that while this drink helps promote sleep, there are lots of other factors at play to help you get enough sleep every night including going to bed at a consistent time, turning off screens before bed, and getting natural light exposure during the day.”

But if a tasty nightly drink could help, it's at least worth a try!