You’ve feasted on turkey and all the trimmings of a Thanksgiving meal, and now all you can think about is a nap. That turkey! It made me sleepy, you might think. But is turkey really the culprit?
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. But turkey has 250 to 310 milligrams of tryptophan in a 3-ounce serving—a little less than chicken. But if turkey is the cause, why don’t we feel sleepy after eating a turkey sandwich on wheat during lunch at work?
Also, turkey isn’t the only food that is high in tryptophan. Fish, nuts and beans also deliver a healthy dose of the amino acid. So if you haven’t been falling asleep in your salmon, maybe there’s something more involved in the post-Thanksgiving snooze than eating turkey.
Could it Be—Carbs?
For most of us, turkey is just a small part of the Thanksgiving dinner. There’s stuffing. And gravy. And cranberry sauce. And potatoes. And green bean casserole. And mac and cheese—not to mention the offerings on the dessert table. Many of these foods also are high in refined carbohydrates. Eating them causes insulin to dip, making us feel tired. If we’re filling our plate to the brim with carbs—as we tend to do at Thanksgiving, that drowsy feeling only grows as the blood rushes to the digestive system, and breaking down the food takes priority over staying awake and alert.
Identifying Other Potential Culprits
Beyond the tryptophan, the influx of carbs, and the sheer amount of food we eat at Thanksgiving, other factors can contribute to post-meal sleepiness. 
While Thanksgiving Day and its preparation—shopping, cooking, cleaning, traveling, etc. — can be something we look forward to, it also can be stressful. Drinking a lot of alcohol with the meal—or during the many football games you watch on TV that day—can add to the exhaustion.
Avoiding the Thanksgiving Nap
Although the post-Thanksgiving snooze may be part of your tradition, it’s also not fun to feel overstuffed and too tired to enjoy the day. If you’d like to avoid feeling exhausted after the meal, here are some ideas:
- Eat small, healthy meals during the day. Don’t make the main meal your first or you’re sure to overindulge.
- Put small portions on your plate, and if you’d like, go back to revisit your favorites.
- Eat slowly and take breaks to gauge how full you are. This gives your brain time to receive the message from your stomach that you’re full.
- Stop eating once you’re full. Ask for a small portion of leftovers to eat the next day so you don’t have to feel you must consume a huge serving at once.
- After the meal, take a walk outside to help your meal digest.
Now that you know your post-Thanksgiving tiredness really isn’t the turkey’s fault, consider some small ways you can back away from the buffet and still enjoy the food and the day.
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FAQs
Don't Blame the Turkey
Does too much turkey really cause you to get sleepy? ›
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.
Why do you get sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner? ›
Tryptophan is known to cause drowsiness — and it can be found in turkey. A serving size of turkey, which is about 3 ounces, contains anywhere between 250 milligrams to 300 milligrams of tryptophan.
Why does turkey make you sleepy but chicken doesn t? ›
It has been rumored that eating a diet high in tryptophan can improve your mood and help you relax. But according to Robinson, turkey doesn't really contain any more tryptophan than other kinds of poultry. “Actually, turkey has slightly less tryptophan than chicken,” says Robinson.
What is the chemical that makes you sleepy after eating turkey? ›
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. But turkey has 250 to 310 milligrams of tryptophan in a 3-ounce serving—a little less than chicken.
Why was tryptophan banned? ›
In 1989, the over the counter sale of L-tryptophan was banned in the United States after a manufacturing error by one of the world's five L-tryptophan producers introduced a contaminant into the product that resulted in more than 1500 cases of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (ems) (which is characterized by muscle pains, ...
Is tryptophan in turkey a myth? ›
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.
Why am I so tired the day after Thanksgiving? ›
Why Am I So Tired After Thanksgiving Dinner? While tryptophan in turkey may contribute to a feeling of drowsiness, it's more likely that you feel sluggish after a big meal due to a combination of factors, including the consumption of carbohydrates, alcohol, and the larger-than-typical volume of food.
How much turkey do you have to eat to be sleepy? ›
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.
What meat makes you the most sleepy? ›
Red meat is another food stuff that requires a great deal of energy to digest and so makes you feel tired. While it does provide iron, an energy booster, red meat is also high in fat which is more difficult for the body to break down. Eating a large amount of red meat will definitely leave you tired after a meal.
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.
Which is better for sleep, melatonin or tryptophan? ›
Several studies have shown that increasing tryptophan in the diet can improve sleep by increasing melatonin ( 24 , 25 ). One study found that eating tryptophan-enriched cereal at breakfast and dinner helped adults fall asleep faster and sleep longer, compared to when they ate standard cereals ( 25 ).
Can you eat too much turkey? ›
When it comes to turkey, however, gaining a few extra pounds isn't the only concern; with a high fat content, poultry appears to promote diabetes and the development of pancreatic cancer more than other animal products, potentially raising one's risk of pancreatic cancer by 72% for every 50g increase in daily poultry ...
Which milk has the most tryptophan? ›
Dairy and egg products, like cheese, milk, and egg whites, contain tryptophan. Of these, a glass of high-fat milk contains the most, providing 80% of the reference daily intake of tryptophan.
Is there tryptophan in peanut butter? ›
Peanut butter also provides many micronutrients and is a good source of vitamin E. Additionally, it contains the amino acid tryptophan, which the body needs to make serotonin and melatonin . Both melatonin and serotonin help regulate the sleep-wake cycle and promote quality sleep .
What happens if you eat too much turkey? ›
Large amounts of tryptophan are shown to make you feel sleepy so keep portion sizes in mind when filling your plate this holiday season. Prepackaged deli turkey can be higher in sodium and other processed additives, so choose wisely and read labels before purchasing such products.
How much turkey does it take to make you tired? ›
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.
How much tryptophan makes you sleepy? ›
The weight of evidence indicates that L-tryptophan in doses of 1 g or more produces an increase in rated subjective sleepiness and a decrease in sleep latency (time to sleep).
What foods make you sleepy? ›
Melatonin (found in dairy and cherries) makes you sleepy, potassium (found in bananas) and magnesium (also found in bananas and almonds) help promote muscle relaxation. Furthermore, many herbs, often found in teas like chamomile and mint are considered sleep inducing, while the dairy in warm milk is effective as well.
While Thanksgiving Day and its preparation—shopping, cooking, cleaning, traveling, etc. — can be something we look forward to, it also can be stressful. Drinking a lot of alcohol with the meal—or during the many football games you watch on TV that day—can add to the exhaustion.
