At first glance, TikTok’s Sleepy Girl trend, as popularised by the aesthetically pleasing Sleepy Girl Mocktail is the antithesis of the 2010’s Rise & Grind culture. Goodbye, Girlbossing, side-hustling and being a #BossBabe; this is 2024, where sleep is sanctified, not rarefied. Or is it?
As an insomniac, I’m sceptical of anything that promises me “the best sleep ever”. MC Health Editor Ally Head delved into wellness influencer Gracie Norton’s dubious nighttime elixir, which blends pure tart cherry juice with magnesium powder and soda or sparkling water and has 1.5 million views. Magnesium powder does have some scientifically-backed sleep-enhancing properties, but syrupy cherry juice before bed? It reeks of another costly quick fix reinforcing the idea that even our most basic functions can be optimised and aestheticised.
