By Brandon Peters, MD - Reviewed by a board-certified physician.
Thanksgiving is a splendid American holiday of sharing meals and gratitude with our family and friends. It can be an occasion of overindulgence, and it is not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by sleepiness. What makes us so sleepy and drowsy on this particular day? Is turkey solely to blame? How can you avoid sleepiness at your Thanksgiving celebration? Explore some of the causes of this excessive daytime sleepiness and possible solutions.
Target Turkey and Tryptophan
The culprit at the Thanksgiving feast most commonly blamed for sleepiness often sits at the table’s center on a silver platter: the turkey. Turkey contains an amino acid, or building block of protein, called tryptophan. Trytophan can be converted within the brain into the neurotransmitter called serotonin. With further metabolism, serotonin becomes melatonin, which is often called the sleep hormone.
One possible solution could be to avoid or reduce the amount of turkey that you consume. But before fully pinning feeling sleepy on the turkey, consider the fact that tryptophan is found in higher concentration in other foods, including: egg white, cod, soybeans, parmesan and cheddar cheese, pork chops, and (for the adventurous) caribou. There may be a little more to the story, as what we eat with the turkey may compound our desire for a nap.
Cut Down the Carbs
Studies have shown that meals high in carbohydrates trigger insulin release.
The Thanksgiving feast has no shortage of carbohydrate-rich foods: potatoes, yams, breads, and more. Insulin promotes the body’s uptake of amino acids other than tryptophan. Therefore, more tryptophan is available to pass into the brain and to be converted into serotonin and melatonin. Therefore, what we so often eat as side dishes could be enhancing the effects of turkey’s tryptophan.
Reducing our intake of carbs may ease our degree of drowsiness. What about what we drink?
Avoid Alcohol
As a depressant of our central nervous system (i.e., brain), alcohol makes us feel more sleepy. Whether it is the wine filling our crystal goblets, beer in our frosty mugs, or hard liquor in our cocktails, this can contribute to sleepiness. By reducing or avoiding alcohol, you may feel less sleepy. It wears off pretty quickly, and moderating drinking by limiting yourself to just one or two alcoholic beverages may be helpful.
Reduce Your Portion Sizes
It may help your waistline more than your desire for sleep, but reducing portion sizes could be another helpful intervention. As you serve yourself, limit the amount of the above foods especially. In addition, by putting a little back you may avoid overeating. Our eyes truly are bigger than our stomachs and our desire food may exceed our capacity. There is a theoretical possibility that a full stomach may divert some blood flow away from the brain, which may enhance sleepiness.
Drink Some Caffeine
There may be a secret weapon in the battle against Thanksgiving sleepiness: caffeine. Just like every other day of the year, caffeine can make us feel more alert. It works by blocking a chemical in the brain called adenosine. Adenosine builds gradually with energy use and, as it accumulates, makes us feel sleepy. Caffeine contained in coffee, tea, soda pop, energy drinks, and chocolate blocks the action of adenosine. Therefore, pour yourself a little coffee to conclude your meal and you may help yourself to stay awake.
Time the Meal Perfectly
It may seem strange but when you eat your Thanksgiving feast could also affect your degree of sleepiness. The circadian rhythm affects our body’s timing of sleep and wakefulness. It is an alerting signal and there is a natural lull of alertness that occurs typically between 1 PM and 3 PM for most people. This explains why entire societies have a midday siesta break around this time. Many people may desire to take a nap or need a cup of coffee around this time. Therefore, if you have your Thanksgiving meal at the lunch hour, you may be inadvertently setting up your guests for a nap right after. If you have the meal in the evening, at dinner (or supper, depending on your region), you will take advantage of increased alertness that sustains us into the early night.
Go for a Walk
If you have, despite your best intentions, done everything wrong to this point, you can still rescue yourself from an unwanted nap: get active and go for a walk! A simple stroll around the neighborhood will prevent you from falling asleep. It can be especially useful to reduce the sleepiness right after the meal. Moreover, it can help to burn some of the calories from that extra slice of pie you probably didn’t need to eat.
Get a Good Night of Sleep
This recommendation may be easier said than done: get a good night of sleep the night before the holiday. A few chefs may need to rise early to get the turkey in the oven or to start prepping other food. However, a solid night of 7 to 8 hours of sleep can make a big difference in how sleepy you feel during the day. You may have improved function and mood, making you a little more hospitable to an irritating guest. Make it a priority and you’ll be rewarded with increased alertness for the holiday.
Treat Your Sleep Disorders
Finally, don’t forget that sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea can frequently exacerbate daytime sleepiness. As your guests drop off like flies, reclining in the living room and sawing logs, keep attuned to the pauses in breathing that characterize the disorder. If you or a loved one snore and frequently take naps, you may want to learn about other symptoms of the condition. Proper evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders may help you to feel less sleepy every day.Sources:
Fernstrom JD et al. "Brain serotonin content: increase following ingestion of carbohydrate diet". Science 174(13):1023–5.
Kryger, M.H. et al. "Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine." ExpertConsult, 5th edition, 2011.
Wurtman RJ et al. "Effects of normal meals rich in carbohydrates or proteins on plasma tryptophan and tyrosine ratios". Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 77(1):128–32.
source: about.com
Thanksgiving is a splendid American holiday of sharing meals and gratitude with our family and friends. It can be an occasion of overindulgence, and it is not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by sleepiness. What makes us so sleepy and drowsy on this particular day? Is turkey solely to blame? How can you avoid sleepiness at your Thanksgiving celebration? Explore some of the causes of this excessive daytime sleepiness and possible solutions.
Target Turkey and Tryptophan
The culprit at the Thanksgiving feast most commonly blamed for sleepiness often sits at the table’s center on a silver platter: the turkey. Turkey contains an amino acid, or building block of protein, called tryptophan. Trytophan can be converted within the brain into the neurotransmitter called serotonin. With further metabolism, serotonin becomes melatonin, which is often called the sleep hormone.
One possible solution could be to avoid or reduce the amount of turkey that you consume. But before fully pinning feeling sleepy on the turkey, consider the fact that tryptophan is found in higher concentration in other foods, including: egg white, cod, soybeans, parmesan and cheddar cheese, pork chops, and (for the adventurous) caribou. There may be a little more to the story, as what we eat with the turkey may compound our desire for a nap.
Cut Down the Carbs
Studies have shown that meals high in carbohydrates trigger insulin release.
The Thanksgiving feast has no shortage of carbohydrate-rich foods: potatoes, yams, breads, and more. Insulin promotes the body’s uptake of amino acids other than tryptophan. Therefore, more tryptophan is available to pass into the brain and to be converted into serotonin and melatonin. Therefore, what we so often eat as side dishes could be enhancing the effects of turkey’s tryptophan.
Reducing our intake of carbs may ease our degree of drowsiness. What about what we drink?
Avoid Alcohol
As a depressant of our central nervous system (i.e., brain), alcohol makes us feel more sleepy. Whether it is the wine filling our crystal goblets, beer in our frosty mugs, or hard liquor in our cocktails, this can contribute to sleepiness. By reducing or avoiding alcohol, you may feel less sleepy. It wears off pretty quickly, and moderating drinking by limiting yourself to just one or two alcoholic beverages may be helpful.
Reduce Your Portion Sizes
It may help your waistline more than your desire for sleep, but reducing portion sizes could be another helpful intervention. As you serve yourself, limit the amount of the above foods especially. In addition, by putting a little back you may avoid overeating. Our eyes truly are bigger than our stomachs and our desire food may exceed our capacity. There is a theoretical possibility that a full stomach may divert some blood flow away from the brain, which may enhance sleepiness.
Drink Some Caffeine
There may be a secret weapon in the battle against Thanksgiving sleepiness: caffeine. Just like every other day of the year, caffeine can make us feel more alert. It works by blocking a chemical in the brain called adenosine. Adenosine builds gradually with energy use and, as it accumulates, makes us feel sleepy. Caffeine contained in coffee, tea, soda pop, energy drinks, and chocolate blocks the action of adenosine. Therefore, pour yourself a little coffee to conclude your meal and you may help yourself to stay awake.
Time the Meal Perfectly
It may seem strange but when you eat your Thanksgiving feast could also affect your degree of sleepiness. The circadian rhythm affects our body’s timing of sleep and wakefulness. It is an alerting signal and there is a natural lull of alertness that occurs typically between 1 PM and 3 PM for most people. This explains why entire societies have a midday siesta break around this time. Many people may desire to take a nap or need a cup of coffee around this time. Therefore, if you have your Thanksgiving meal at the lunch hour, you may be inadvertently setting up your guests for a nap right after. If you have the meal in the evening, at dinner (or supper, depending on your region), you will take advantage of increased alertness that sustains us into the early night.
Go for a Walk
If you have, despite your best intentions, done everything wrong to this point, you can still rescue yourself from an unwanted nap: get active and go for a walk! A simple stroll around the neighborhood will prevent you from falling asleep. It can be especially useful to reduce the sleepiness right after the meal. Moreover, it can help to burn some of the calories from that extra slice of pie you probably didn’t need to eat.
Get a Good Night of Sleep
This recommendation may be easier said than done: get a good night of sleep the night before the holiday. A few chefs may need to rise early to get the turkey in the oven or to start prepping other food. However, a solid night of 7 to 8 hours of sleep can make a big difference in how sleepy you feel during the day. You may have improved function and mood, making you a little more hospitable to an irritating guest. Make it a priority and you’ll be rewarded with increased alertness for the holiday.
Treat Your Sleep Disorders
Finally, don’t forget that sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea can frequently exacerbate daytime sleepiness. As your guests drop off like flies, reclining in the living room and sawing logs, keep attuned to the pauses in breathing that characterize the disorder. If you or a loved one snore and frequently take naps, you may want to learn about other symptoms of the condition. Proper evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders may help you to feel less sleepy every day.Sources:
Fernstrom JD et al. "Brain serotonin content: increase following ingestion of carbohydrate diet". Science 174(13):1023–5.
Kryger, M.H. et al. "Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine." ExpertConsult, 5th edition, 2011.
Wurtman RJ et al. "Effects of normal meals rich in carbohydrates or proteins on plasma tryptophan and tyrosine ratios". Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 77(1):128–32.
source: about.com
