You hear the same discourse every Thanksgiving. “Don’t eat too much Turkey! You’ll be sleep?” And you are wondering, is there any truth behind this?

Tryptophan is one of 20 standard amino acids. Tryptophan is found in turkey, and is commonly said to be what causes drowsiness after turkey consumption.

While turkey contains tryptophan, the amount is comparable to most other meats.

So, the answer is no: Thanksgiving turkey does not make you sleepy. However, if you are feeling sleepy, the answer may lie in what else is consumed with the turkey. High amounts of carbohydrates and alcohol will make you sleepy.