Will Tryptophan Really Help Me Sleep?

In honor of the holiday, here's a Thanksgiving-related food fact, taken from Good Night:

Myth: 
Turkey will put you to sleep because of the enzymes it contains, which promote sleep.

Reality: 
Sleep-friendly foods, such as turkey, may help you relax and fall asleep, but don't view them as "sleeping pills".  You'd have to eat about forty pounds of turkey to get enough of the enzyme tryptophan to make you sleepy. 

Since the average grocery store turkey weighs about 15 pounds, that's 3.5 turkeys, all to yourself. That's a lot, even for the heartiest diner. 

So if you're looking to get a good night's sleep after your meal, remember, overdoing it on the turkey won't help you. In fact, if anything, it may hurt, because the body has to work extra hard while you're asleep to digest all the extra food.

So dine in moderation this holiday, and try and stay away from that late-night turkey sandwich if you're hungry right before bed -- a high-protein meal without accompanying carbs can actually keep you awake. (Bring on the dinner rolls! And while you're at it, throw in a glass of milk or egg nog too.  Calcium helps the brain convert tryptophan to melatonin, which will help you sleep.)

Enjoy a happy and restful holiday!

Comments

[Brad]

Hi
Thank you for stopping by my blog. My insomnia is mostly under control. I have a delayed sleep phase and simply must stick to my weekday routine during the weekend and I am fine. I even wake up before my alarm 6 days out of 7.

Great site and I will be showing it to the doctors at the center I work at.

[Michael Breus, PhD]

It sounds like you are doing the right thing, keep that schedule :)

Thanks for your support.

Dr. Mike PhD

[Sebastien]

Yep snopes has mentionned this too: http://www.snopes.com/food/ingredient/turkey.asp