Overview
- Fact-checkers and sleep experts reaffirm that turkey’s tryptophan content is ordinary for meat and not sufficient, in a typical serving, to induce sleep.
- USDA-linked figures put turkey’s tryptophan at roughly 244 mg per 3-ounce serving, and studies showing sedative effects use purified doses near 500–1,000 mg or more.
- Snopes notes you would need many servings of turkey to approach a single supplement dose, underscoring why the bird itself is an unlikely culprit.
- Clinicians point to postprandial somnolence after large, energy-dense meals and alcohol as more plausible drivers, while The Atlantic stresses that carbohydrate-based explanations remain contested.
- Researchers say no focused studies have confirmed a Thanksgiving-specific sleep effect, and sleep specialists recommend practical steps such as smaller portions, an after-dinner walk, earlier mealtimes, and avoiding late caffeine or alcohol.