The Fieldston Science Bulletin

By: Kevin Nam

 People have long believed that turkey makes them sleepy, but is this true, or just an old wives’ tale? Science has an answer.

Turkey contains an essential amino acid called tryptophan. This acid creates serotonin, which in turn makes melatonin. Both of these hormones help regulate mood, and the latter also help with sleep cycles. However, despite tryptophan being present in turkey, it does not appear in excess amounts compared to other foods; research shows that chickens have more tryptophan than turkeys. Tryptophan is also found in most other kinds of poultry, as well as nuts and seeds.

So if turkey isn’t the culprit, why do people feel tired after Thanksgiving? This fatigue is most likely caused by overeating because digesting a large amount of food (2 or 3 plates worth) requires a lot of energy, causing you to feel tired. Another reason may be the excess amount of carbohydrates consumed, which release insulin that helps remove glucose and amino acids from the blood. This allows tryptophan to pass throughout the body more easily, and thus get into the brain and release serotonin and melatonin. In general, the holidays are a stressful and exhausting time, contributing to people feeling tired.

So, how can you feel more awake this Thanksgiving? Experts say that exercising, eating more slowly, and drinking less alcohol can all make you feel less tired. In addition, eating a protein and fiber-filled breakfast will help prevent you from overeating during Thanksgiving dinner.  

Turkey has long been unfairly blamed for the tiredness people feel during Thanksgiving; In reality, a variety of factors cause people to feel this fatigue that aren’t related to turkey. 

Sources:

https://www.piedmont.org/living-real-change/can-turkey-make-you-sleepy

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