Is It Really the Turkey That Makes Me Sleepy?

Is it really the turkey or is there another culprit behind the after dinner grogginess?

By Joel C. Brothers
Succulent, juicy turkey, fruity cranberry sauce, delicious stuffing, mashed potatoes and peas, corn on the cob, pumpkin pie....is this a feast worth waiting until November for, or what? This is one time that it is OK to indulge your wildest food fantasies. And afterwards, we all get a big.....nap. Ever since the first Thanksgiving, the after-feast nap has been an element of the tradition. Even so, some men and women get a bit concerned about the lethargic feeling soon after the feast. They wonder, "Why does eating turkey make me sleepy?"

In years past, when folks would opt for to snooze, it was blamed on the turkey. And, at the time, it was a logical conclusion. It has to do with why a turkey has white meat, and dark meat. Voluntary muscles (the ones you have conscious control more than, like legs, arms, etc...) are comprised of two varieties of muscle fibers. You have 'fast-twitch' (we'll forgo the lengthy proper names in the interests of simplicity), and 'slow-twitch' muscle fibers. Quickly-twitch fibers are capable of contracting with unbelievable speed, but use up tremendous amounts of power, and fatigue incredibly rapidly. Slow-twitch fibers are slower, but use less power, and have additional endurance. Most muscles are a 50/50 mix, but exercise and conditioning can increase one or the other, to an extent. The primary difference among the fibers is the way they use power. Slow-twitch fibers get their energy from oxygen stored in myogloben, a heavily pigmented protein that regulates how rapidly oxygen is made use of. It makes the fiber a darker color. Fat-twitch fibers get their energy from glycogen, a polysaccharide of glucose that enables a speedy burn of oxygen for immediate energy. That is why turkey breasts are mostly 'white' meat, because turkeys seldom fly, and when they do, it is a quick 'emergency' hop. The purpose ducks are mainly dark meat is mainly because they fly lengthy distances, and their breast meat is largely slow-twitch fibers. It was believed at one time that white meat could make you drowsy if enough of it was eaten. We now know that this is a misconception, with no a scientific basis.

Is Tryptophan the Reason We Feel Sleepy Right after Consuming Turkey?

When that myth was settled, the search for a new suspect continued. Suspicion eventually fell on an amino acid in the turkey referred to as tryptophan, Tryptophan is utilized by the body to manufacture Vitamin B3, and serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that aids in regulating sleep. Turkey does contain tryptophan, so once more, it was a logical conclusion at the time. The problem is that lots of other foods also include tryptophan, and are not associated with drowsiness. Some foods even include more tryptophan than turkey, such as pork and cheese. When was the last time a Ham & Cheese sandwich made you sleepy? Later studies proved that typtophan only resulted in greater serotonin levels when taken in isolation. Turkey, like most other protein-laden foods, has an abundance of amino acids, of which tryptophan is a minority. It has to compete with all the other important amino-acids to get transported across the blood-brain barrier. It is really hard to get an over-abundance of tryptophan into the brain, where it could accelerate serotonin production. So tryptophan also has to be acquitted. You will have to look elsewhere for the answer to the query, "Why does consuming turkey make me sleepy?"

The answer, like so many other things, was in fact hiding in plain sight all along. Nobody just eats turkey at Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner. Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, Sweet Potato Bread, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and all the other carbohydrate-wealthy foods that we adore are there in abundance. And we all eat our fair share, gladly. On average, people today consume more than 3000 calories at every Thanksgiving Dinner. That is far more than a whole days worth of calories...all in 1 meal. And there is no question that carbohydrates enhance serotonin levels.

Another answer is that it could be the sheer quantity of food we consume at the feast. When the tiny intestine stretches, it induces a need to sleep, so that digestion can use the maximum amount of bodily sources to process the food. A similar thing occurs when the stomach gets protein-fat loaded. If you are asleep, your digestive technique can use far more blood, due to the fact it isn't needed elsewhere at the moment. That's why it is typical to want to take a nap just after a big meal. It really is sort of the opposite to the 'Fight or Flight' reaction.

And let's not forget the beverages. Most of them we consume will have either alcohol, or sugars in them. Both of these, specifically alcohol, are recognized to turn peoples lights out. Alcohol is the original sedative and tranquilizer (and not a bad nerve-tonic, on occasions...).

So if you feel relaxed, and want to take a nap right after gorging on roast turkey, and all the trimmings, go ahead and indulge oneself. it is a completely natural response, and is good for you. Almost every person could use some more rest. What better excuse is there to let your physique and thoughts reset, and rejuvenate, than to enjoy the holiday? At least now you know the answer to the question, "Why does eating turkey make me sleepy?"

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