This is possibly due to release of peptide hormones, like cholecystokinin (CCK). Meals rich in fat also have an effect on sleepiness, perhaps even greater than that of carbohydrates. This leaves tryptophan with fewer competitors to access the brain, raises up serotonin/melatonin and leads to bringing down the shades. This makes it hard for tryptophan to get in to slow things down.īut a meal that is also rich in carbohydrates (whether dessert, rice or potatoes) also stimulates the release of insulin, which increases the uptake of most amino acids into our muscles, but not tryptophan. If we eat the turkey meat on its own, all the other amino acids released following its digestion compete for transport into the brain. So maybe it was the dessert and not the dinner. Some studies show that a high-carbohydrate lunch might exacerbate the post-lunch dip. So if it’s not the turkey, maybe it’s something’s that goes with it? It is quite normal to have a dip in alertness half way between waking up in the morning and going to sleep at night, as a consequence of our circadian rhythms However, it is not necessarily a consequence of meal ingestion. This “post-lunch dip” is often attributed to overindulgence at lunchtime. Of course, much of the evidence linking turkey to sedation is circumstantial.Įven if you are getting enough sleep, it is common to feel a temporary drop in alertness in early afternoon, especially of you are a morning person. However, its sedating effect is variable and weak in most people, even in the doses used to treat insomnia (2 grams to 5 grams). Some people do take large amounts of tryptophan to “naturally” increase their serotonin levels and help them fall asleep. Most protein rich foods have tryptophan, from meat and eggs, to soy and spirulina. Some tryptophan is also present in that glass of milk that is said to help you get to sleep at night.īut there’s nothing special about turkey. Turkey is rumoured to make you sleepy because it contains tryptophan (about 200mg/100g). Rising levels of serotonin and melatonin in the brain signal the end of the day. In particular, tryptophan is an essential amino acid used by the brain for the synthesis of serotonin and melatonin. Some of these amino acids have direct action on brain chemistry. During digestion, protein is rapidly broken down into its constituent parts, which are amino acids. Turkey meat is predominantly protein, like potatoes are predominantly carbohydrate. So how could my turkey extravaganza stuff up this well-oiled apparatus?
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |