Ever since the pilgrims sat down to their first Thanksgiving dinner in Plymouth, Mass., people have used this holiday as a time to give thanks for the blessings they have received throughout the year.
But for some Auburn students, Thanksgiving signifies something else.
Auburn students use Thanksgiving dinner to induce their first nap of the holiday season.
"My family always tries to watch a Christmas movie after Thanksgiving dinner, usually 'Christmas Vacation,'" said Brian Orgain, senior in Spanish. "But I seriously can't remember the last time I stayed awake for the whole thing."
So what exactly induces the post-Thanksgiving drowsiness?
Comedians from Jerry Seinfeld to Dave Chappelle have blamed meat, especially turkey, for causing people to fall asleep soon after eating. These accusations stem from turkey's high level of tryptophan.
"Trytophan has been used as sleep aid," said Robert Keith, professor in the school of nutrition and food sciences. "Research has shown that it can actually cause you to be sleepier and turkey has a high level in it."
Tryptophan is converted into the neurotransmitter serotonin when it reaches the brain.
"Serotonin is the opposite of adrenaline, it has a calming effect; it will make you sluggish or sleepy," Keith said.
Despite the presence of tryptophan in turkey, Keith and other nutrition experts agreed it is not the only culprit in the case of the after-meal tiredness.
"The tryptophan in the turkey may make you tired depending on the amount and if eaten on an empty stomach," said Melanie Rubery, licensed nutritionist and founder of Healthy Life and Nutrition. "However, the most likely reason is the amount of food eaten, specifically the carbohydrates. The increase in carbohydrates can cause a surge in insulin and blood sugar."
Insulin is a hormone created by the body to regulate metabolism and other bodily functions related to digestion.
Keith said the changes in a person's hormones are the most likely cause of the sleepy feeling after Thanksgiving dinner.
"After a big meal like that your body secretes a whole different level of hormones," Keith said. "The body has to make choices about what to do. The blood gets sent to the stomach instead of to your muscles. So with all of these blood changes and hormones changes I would say that's why people feel sluggish or sleepy."
Another factor in the Thanksgiving sleepiness equation is alcohol.
"Well it wouldn't make you more awake; it's a sedative," Keith said. "Some people get excited under certain conditions when drinking alcohol, but generally it's a sedative. It is a drug, it has sedative effects. It affects the brain and makes you sleepier, less excited."
Rubery said some people may not make it through their favorite holiday movie after Thanksgiving because they finally have a break from their daily routine.
"I think it's an accumulation of things," Rubery said. "People who are enjoying the holidays the most are people who work. They are finally in a relaxed mode and when they're stuffing their face and having the tryptophan on top from the turkey, I think it makes for a nap when you provide all those things together."
Should anyone want to stay up to watch the entire Thanksgiving night football game, Rubery said drinking coffee or eating a balanced meal would help someone stay alert.
"A better balance would be to make sure you have a good proportion of carbohydrates in respect to proteins," Rubery said. "Cut back on your carbohydrates. Divide your plate -- half the plate with fruits and veggies, even the vegetable casseroles. With the other half, make half of it with your turkey and the other half your starches, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, etc."
Rubery said it is better not to have three-quarters of the plate as starches and only a quarter with protein.
Orgain said he will probably use Rubery's advice during the holiday season, just not on Thanksgiving.
"I think I'll just take the traditional approach to Thanksgiving and eat as much as I can," Orgain said. "I mean, I can always watch 'Christmas Vacation', but Thanksgiving is one of the holidays I look forward to the most. It's one of the few days a year besides Christmas where I eat as much as I want and literally feel no remorse whatsoever."
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
