Is the Thanksgiving Meal Responsible for Sleepiness?
It’s that time of year and you’ve eaten the traditional turkey and all the trimmings. Now the only thing on you’re mind is a snooze on the couch. But is the turkey really the reason for your sleepiness? Sources say it’s not. It’s really the carb-tryptophan that’s making you drowsy.
Tryptophan is an amino acid that is needed for producing vital proteins and nutrients. Even though tryptophan is often associated with turkey, there are higher quantities of tryptophan in things like Cheddar cheese to sunflower seeds. Tryptophan produces serotonin in the brain which is converted in melatonin. This regulates the sleep patterns in your brain that cause drowsiness. In most cases, the tryptophan reaches the brain in only small amounts as the other amino acids block its path.
The carbohydrates that are consumed along with the turkey at the Thanksgiving meal are the reason for this. Trimmings like stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy and cranberry sauce, which are high in carbs, and when the body takes in these, it creates glucose. Needed to breakdown the glucose is insulin, an amino acid that is produced, resulting in amino acids that are taken from the bloodstream into the muscles. Tryptophan is not one of the amino acids that is taken, so it has a free path to the brain. Adding to this, the nervous system sends a warning for you to be still during digestion and you suddenly find the nearest couch inviting, causing you to fall asleep faster before the pumpkin pie is served.
So, after a few cocktails like a Bloody Mary or a few glasses of wine, it won’t matter if anyone believes your tryptophan tale. Just enjoy you traditional Thanksgiving dinner and enjoy your after-dinner siesta when your find yourself face down in a pillow.
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