You may feel exhausted after your Thanksgiving dinner but do you know why? People have been saying that it is due to the amino acid tryptophan which is found in turkey and causes tiredness. Contrary to popular belief this is not the case. Although tryptophan does cause tiredness it is found in such trace amounts in turkey that it is not the culprit here. The real reason that we get so tired post-turkey is the sheer amount of food that we eat! Our autonomous nervous system reverts from alert to parasympathetic control or more casually referred to as “rest and digest” mode after a large meal. So if your family likes to compete for who can eat the most turkey don’t be surprised when you find yourself dozing on the couch later while waiting for dessert!