The Real Reason We Want a Nap After Thanksgiving Dinner

Each Thanksgiving most Americans enjoy consuming large quantities of turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and pie, but what causes us want to snooze after we enjoy our feast?

Thanksgiving time means great food, good friends, football and oh yeah...that notorious nap that follows our delicious meal. I can't remember the last time I didn't get in a good snooze after that particular feast. In fact, naps are one of one of my favorite Turkey Day pastimes.

Have you ever wondered what causes you want to doze off after eating all that green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and turkey? According to the Huffington Post:

Thanksgiving, where the average American packs up to 3,500 calories in a single meal. And while many people blame the turkey's tryptophan for their soporific state, the truth is that other foods -- like cheese and eggs -- have just as much of the sleep inducing amino acid.

I've heard differing views over the years as to what causes us to want to slip into dream land after a big meal and I'm not sure which one is accurate. I just know that I look forward to having a long nap on Thanksgiving Day; especially if the football game tends to be boring and Uncle Ned's jokes are getting old.

Here's someone else explaining why we get so darn sleepy after we eat our weight in turkey.

How to Successfully Carve a Thanksgiving Turkey