Tag: Thanksgiving fatigue

Millions of people experience that sluggish feeling after a large meal, especially after eating turkey, but research suggests that tryptophan isn't the real cause. So, is it normal to feel tired after eating turkey, or is something else at play entirely?

Despite the popular belief that tryptophan in turkey is the primary culprit, medical experts agree that the post-Thanksgiving dinner 'food coma' is actually caused by a combination of factors. This feeling of lethargy, or postprandial somnolence, is a complex biological response to how we eat and celebrate the holiday.

While the myth that turkey contains a super-dose of the amino acid tryptophan—which is then converted to sleep-inducing melatonin—is widely accepted, experts confirm it's actually not the primary cause of your post-meal drowsiness. The "food coma," or postprandial somnolence, is actually the result of several physiological factors working in concert, including meal size and composition, rather than a single ingredient like turkey.