Feeling tired after stuffing yourself with turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and the like? Well, it turns out you can't blame the tryptophan! Tryptophan is an amino acid that is used to build protein in our body and is essential to our health. It is also a part of the process used to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that helps regulate sleep. Turkey (and all meat for that matter) does contain trytophan but the amount is too small to have any kind of effect on energy levels. Actually, cheddar cheese has a higher level of tryptophan than turkey but no one blames it on their afternoon sluggishness!
The true culprits of your Turkey Day drowsiness are the extra servings of food and wine that you had during dinner! Alcohol is a natural sedative and a big meal diverts blood flow from the brain and central nervous system to the stomach, causing you to feel sluggish. Dinner preparation and travelling to see relatives can also add to the sleepiness you feel by the end of the day.
So this year, set everyone at the table stright when they use the turkey as an excuse to take a Thanksgiving Day nap!
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