Buzz
As you fight for the comfiest spot to nap after Thanksgiving dinner, keep this in mind: the idea that turkey makes you sleepy is just a myth.
Turkey does contain L-Tryptophan, an amino acid linked to sleep. Your body uses it to create a B vitamin called niacin, which helps produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter that then leads to the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. However, many other foods, like other poultry, meats, cheese, yogurt, fish, and eggs, also provide similar amounts of tryptophan.
In order for tryptophan to convert into serotonin in the brain, it must first pass through the blood-brain barrier, which is a challenge because other amino acids are competing for the same path. For tryptophan to succeed, it needs help from carbohydrates. Dietitian Elizabeth Somer told WebMD that a small, carbohydrate-rich snack after consuming tryptophan-containing foods is the best way to increase serotonin levels, as the carbs assist in transporting tryptophan from your blood to your brain.
Thanksgiving isn’t really about nibbling on small, perfectly timed snacks. It’s all about plates piled high with mashed potatoes, heaps of stuffing, and generous spoonfuls of gravy. Add alcohol into the mix, and that’s more likely the culprit for your post-meal food coma. Overeating—especially fatty foods—forces your body to work overtime to digest everything. To do so, it redirects blood flow to the digestive system, leaving you with little energy for much else. Plus, since alcohol depresses the central nervous system, it slows down both your brain and other vital organs.
In short, while turkey may still be the main suspect for your Thanksgiving fatigue, don’t forget it has some backup: the mac and cheese, spiked apple cider, and that second slice of pumpkin pie are all part of the team.
