Does eating turkey make you sleepy? That’s the common thing we’ve all heard for years as we all went into a food coma after Thanksgiving! Who hasn’t enjoyed a hearty Thanksgiving meal with turkey, ham, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy and then was ready for bed shortly after. But is turkey really the culprit for making us sleepy and tired?
Does Eating Turkey Make You Sleepy?
Growing up, I remember my grandmother hosting Thanksgiving when she was alive. It was a big affair of course with lots of food and family. There was a flurry of cooking, prepping, and cleaning with kids running around, sports blaring in the background and uncomfortable velvet and lace dresses with buckle shoes.
But what I also remember is everyone falling asleep afterwards. The men falling asleep on the couches with their hats over their eyes and the kids doing much less running around.
And I swear, the older I get the more tired I get after Thanksgiving. Grant it, I’m the one who usually hosts it.
So I was wondering, does turkey really make you sleepy? The answer is yes and no.
Turkey Isn’t Only Culprit Of The Food Coma On Thanksgiving
Turkey is often to blame for everyone feeling sleepy after Thanksgiving because of an amino acid found in turkey. This amino acid is called tryptophan.
Turkey Has Tryptophan
Tryptophan is an an amino acid that is essential for us to make serotonin.
Serotonin is a hormone that helps balance moods. The right amount of serotonin helps us be focused, happy, calm, and stable. Low amounts can cause depression and anxiety.
Why does all this matter?
Well, because the byproduct that comes from the tryptophan to serotonin process is melatonin. The hormone that helps us sleep. So, that means it’s the turkey’s fault right? Not quite.
Heavy Carbs On Thanksgiving Are Making Us Tired Too
While turkey may have a hand in the sleepiness we feel after Thanksgiving dinner, but it isn’t enough to make us sleepy.
Rather, the turkey plus our heavy binge on carbs and sugars are to blame. We enjoy mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, carrots, peas, sugary drinks, pies and other desserts… that’s a lot of carbs and sugar.
And what do carbs and sugars do to the body?
It spikes our blood sugar and then crashes leaving us feeling more sluggish and sleepy.
So, it’s going to be a mix of the dinner as a whole.
Other Things Making Us Tired On Thanksgiving Day
So, turkey and carbs both make us tired. But are there possibly other things making us incredibly sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner? The answer is yes.
Overeating On Thanksgiving Is Making Us Sleepy
Back to dinner, most of us binge on Thanksgiving. We eat big helpings, double helpings, and large pieces of pie. And most of us have turkey, ham, and sausage in the stuffing, bacon in the veggies. Lots of high protein, high fat, and high carbohydrates.
This in itself can leave you sleepy and usually leaves you most sleepiest about an hour after eating.
Stress Is Making Us Sleepy On Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a great holiday, but it’s stressful! It’s a lot of work to clean, prep, shop, and cook. It’s stressful hosting a lot of people that you may or may not get along. It’s overstimulating to having people talking, making noise, running around, etc.
Plus, I don’t know about y’all, but socializing for hours at a time is exhausting for me. This can leave anyone wore out and tired.
Alcohol Can Also Make You Sleepy On Thanksgiving
While I don’t promote drunkenness, most people enjoy a drink or two on Thanksgiving. Alcohol can make you sleepy because it slows down your brain and depresses your nervous system. This in turn makes you more sleepy.
Thanksgiving Makes You Sleepy
So, it’s a common myth that Turkey is the culprit when we go into a food coma on Thanksgiving, when in reality…it’s just Thanksgiving that makes us sleepy.
Good food, lots of food, stress, overeating, and alcohol is what makes us sleepy. But I would say it’s worth it!
Do you get sleepy on Thanksgiving? If not, what’s your secret?
