Does Turkey Really Make You Sleepy?

Does Turkey Really Make You Sleepy

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving and Christmas

I thought I would write about a very common affliction that affects us all, commonly referred to as "Turkey Fatigue"...

I always wondered what it was about eating turkey dinner at thanksgiving or Christmas that made me want to sleep and sleep and sleep. I read up about it and in fact there is a "special ingredient" in Turkey called called L-Tryptophan. Tryptophan is a mild sedative, but it only works on an empty stomach, so eating turkey has nothing to do with feeling lethargic.... So then why does turkey make you tired?

I did some research and it turns out the body metabolizes tryptophan and eventually turns it into a neurotransmitter: serotonin. Serotonin is known to induce a calming effect after it is released in the brain, and is thought to help regulate sleep. So does it really make you sleepy? Technically if you ate even a small amount of tryptophan it could be enough to make you sleep, but the tryptophan must be taken on an empty stomach. SO...

What really does cause the turkey dinner sleepiness? The fatigue comes from a few factors. A turkey feast may include... turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing or stuffing (MY FAVORITE), corn, sweet potato, alcohol, wine, bread, buns, pickles, and last but not least ice cream and pumpkin pie. All of these foods are full of carbs and fat and a large portion of your energy is sent to the digestive system where it is needed to break down the fat over next several hours. Not to mention after a long day of family, friends, food and entertaining, the meal is the climax and most relaxing part of your day. Plus alcohol is involved, alcohol is a depressant, drinking it with your meal will certainly contribute to your desire to nap. The perfect recipe for fatigue!  So, yes there is an ingredient in Turkey that can make you sleepy BUT the your everyday common turkey nap is because of several factors most importantly... digestion.

I hope you found this article interesting, Leave a comment!