Dr. Mogell Dental Blog

Boca Raton Cosmetic Dentist

Does Thanksgiving Turkey Really Make You Sleepy?

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Do you feel sleepy after your Thanksgiving turkey dinner? Yes, turkey contains the amino acid, tryptophan which is a precursor to the sleep hormone, melatonin.

Eating a turkey dinner won't make you sleepy though. Why?

You would need to eat about 46 pounds of turkey to get enough tryptophan to affect your sleep. Plus, tryptophan doesn't work well with protein and since your turkey breast is a protein.... you get the idea.

The urge to nap after the Thanksgiving feast probably has to do with the wine, the exhaustion after all the preparation and perhaps, a little bit of avoidance behavior so you don't have to talk to the relatives that are really annoying!

Have a wonderful turkey and get some sleep.
If feeling sleepy during the day is an ongoing problem you may have a sleep disorder. Contact us today at 561-394-9000 to find out more.

Labels: sleep apnea