Is There A Myth That Eating Turkey Makes You Sleepy?

Contrary to popular belief, eating turkey isn't the main reason you feel sleepy after a Thanksgiving feast.

Transcript

00:00Does turkey make you sleepy?

00:04Let's talk turkey. After putting a big Thanksgiving meal in your belly,

00:08you might feel like getting a little shut-eye. Is there something about a

00:12generous helping of turkey that makes you sleepy? There's a popular belief

00:16that feeling tired after a hearty Thanksgiving feast is due to the

00:20turkey containing an amino acid called tryptophan, a factor in brain

00:24chemistry that's linked to sleepiness. Tryptophan is found in the brain chemical

00:28serotonin, which is converted into the hormone melatonin, known for affecting

00:32cycles of waking and sleeping. Turkey contains tryptophan,

00:36but tryptophan is found in many other foods in similar amounts.

00:40In fact, gram for gram, there's more tryptophan in cheddar cheese than there is

00:44in turkey. And during Thanksgiving dinner, there's probably a lot on

00:48your plate. Carbohydrates like stuffing, potatoes, yams,

00:52smothered in marshmallows, not to mention all that pie. When you load

00:56up on carbs, your body releases insulin, which removes most amino acids

01:00from the blood, but not tryptophan. Reducing its competition

01:04makes tryptophan more likely to enter your brain to form serotonin and then

01:08melatonin, and make you want to take a nap. And if you're drinking

01:12alcohol during dinner, that might have something to do with your sleepiness too.

01:16Thanksgiving chemistry!

01:20Just one of life's little mysteries.