We just enjoyed Thanksgiving here in Post Falls, Idaho and millions of American families enjoyed a day filled with lots of food, laughter, and sleep. After the big meal, a lot of people noticed they get very drowsy and for years the culprit has been the turkey. More specifically, the tryptophan in the turkey. So what is tryptophan?? Does it really make you tired??For starters, Tryptophan itself does not make you tired. Tryptophan is actually an amino acid found in many different types of meats, turkey being one of them. Tryptophan is a precursor for the production of serotonin. Where this myth gets its origin, is that serotonin is the brain chemical associated with healthy sleep. Turkey has many amino acids in it, tryptophan being just one of them.What really makes you tired after a thanksgiving meal really has to do with what you eat with your turkey. Most thanksgiving meals include many different foods containing lots of carbs like rolls, yams, stuffing, and desserts. Carbs have been shown to slow down your system and bring on drowsiness which is why you usually feel tired.As always we hope everyone had an outstanding Thanksgiving this year. We hope you ate a lot, slept a lot, and enjoyed your extended weekend with family and friends. Optimal Chiropractic in Post Falls is dedicated to helping our community stay healthy through helpful information and the care we provide.Happy Thanksgiving,Dr. Chris & Dr. Emily