Sleepy After the Thanksgiving Feast? Don’t Blame the Turkey (2024)

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Sleepy After the Thanksgiving Feast? Don’t Blame the Turkey? ›

Another reason you feel sleepy after a meal is a change in blood flow from the head to the digestive system. “Eating a big holiday dinner causes increased blood flow to the stomach to help digest the meal, which results in less blood flow to the brain, making you tired and ready for bed,” Dasgupta said.

Turkey contains tryptophan, which plays a role in sleep. The amount, however, is not enough to make a you fall asleep. The drowsiness after a Thanksgiving meal is more likely be due to eating a lot of high-fat and high-sugar foods. Monitor how much you eat and drink to avoid post-meal drowsiness.

The Turkey-Tryptophan Connection—Is There Really One? Turkey meat contains tryptophan, an amino acid that the body needs to make Vitamin B3 (Niacin) and serotonin, a hormone that helps you relax and—yes, makes you sleepy.

Your body increases blood flow to your stomach

To handle the large amount of food in your stomach, there's a change in your blood circulation. “Your bowels need more blood to digest the large meal, which may lead to less blood to your brain causing you to feel less alert,” explains Zumpano.

Turkey contains an amino acid called tryptophan; a chemical compound known to cause drowsiness. A person would have to eat about eight pounds of turkey to have a high enough level of tryptophan in their system to make the statement true. The chemical compound is also found in other foods, such as milk.

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid found in various foods, including turkey. Tryptophan can influence mood and sleep by affecting serotonin and melatonin production. While tryptophan may promote relaxation, overall diet and lifestyle greatly affect sleep quality.

Nope! Holding the turkey responsible for your holiday nap is just a Thanksgiving myth. So is the fact that eating foods high in tryptophan boost brain levels of tryptophan, therefore boosting brain levels of serotonin. In fact, turkey contains slightly less L-tryptophan than chicken.

L-tryptophan is an essential amino acid that helps the body make proteins and certain brain-signaling chemicals. Your body changes L-tryptophan into a brain chemical called serotonin. Serotonin helps control your mood and sleep.

Bananas. The only fruit on this list, bananas contain an amino acid called tryptophan. Your body uses tryptophan to produce 5-HTP, the compound that makes serotonin and melatonin, two mood and sleep-regulating neurotransmitters.

Cholesterol markers, blood pressure and fluid retention may also increase as your body processes fats and salt, he adds. But “those spikes should come down, usually within a couple hours,” and the vast majority of people won't experience physical symptoms worse than bloating, heartburn or headaches, Juraschek says.

What illness is extremely sleepy after a meal? ›

Medical conditions that can cause excessive tiredness after eating include: Anemia. Celiac disease. Diabetes.

You're Likely Eating More Than Normal

Your heart rate increases and your metabolism ramps up, which are both energy-intensive systems. This can divert blood flow away from other areas, including your brain, leading to fatigue. Additionally, eating a big meal stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system.

Feeling tired after eating could be a sign of diabetes, but it isn't always. Around half of people who live with diabetes report feelings of exhaustion, not just after meals. The exact causes are unclear, but it may be to do with how well they control their blood sugar, inflammation, or other factors.

Is Turkey Good for Dogs? Yes, when cooked and prepared properly—and given in very small portions—turkey can be a healthy, occasional treat for dogs. Make sure it is fully cooked; has no skin, bones, or fat; and is not cooked with any other ingredients or seasonings.

Tryptophan, which is naturally found in potatoes, is a natural sedative that promotes restful sleep. In addition, the potassium in potatoes acts as a muscle relaxant, ensuring a more restful sleep and more relaxed body.

Milk's sleep-enhancing properties are commonly ascribed to tryptophan, but scientists have also discovered a mixture of milk peptides, called casein tryptic hydrolysate (CTH), that relieves stress and enhances sleep.

L-tryptophan can cause some side effects such as drowsiness, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, blurry vision, and others. In 1989, L-tryptophan was linked to cases of a neurological condition called eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS).

But is there anything to the turkey-tryptophan-tired idea, or is it a Thanksgiving-themed myth to justify avoiding the post-meal cleanup? The short answer is no, a few slices of turkey aren't enough to knock you out.

Per pound, turkey contains somewhere between 303 mg and 410 mg of tryptophan, and chicken contains a bit less, somewhere between 238 mg and 256 mg. Fun fact: White or light meat, like the breast, will actually contain more tryptophan than dark meat (thighs, legs, and wings).