The "Sleepy Girl Mocktail" (made with tart cherry juice) does not act through its low melatonin content, but by protecting tryptophan via anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Furthermore, the promise of an 84-minute gain in sleep is based on a very limited study (8 people), suggesting that a large part of its efficacy lies instead in the establishment of a soothing bedtime ritual.

noli's read

The scientific analysis provided by Matthew Walker aligns perfectly with the current state of research. The famous 84-minute gain in sleep indeed comes from a very limited crossover pilot clinical study (Losso et al., 2018, published in the American Journal of Therapeutics), which included only 8 participants. Biologically, the hypothesis that tart cherry protects tryptophan by inhibiting the IDO enzyme and reducing inflammation is supported by this same preliminary trial. Conversely, the direct intake of melatonin from cherry juice remains too negligible to explain a major sedative effect on its own according to scientific literature. As for the magnesium sometimes added to the recipe, a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies shows that it provides only a very modest benefit regarding sleep latency. Finally, the importance of the behavioral bedtime ritual, validated by numerous expert opinions in sleep hygiene, remains the most robust factor for promoting a calm transition to the night.

the sources

1. 1Howatson G et al. 2012
2. 2van Straten A, van der Zweerde T, Kleiboer A, et al. 2017
3. 3Mindell JA, Williamson AA. 2017
4. 4Zaccaro A et al. 2018