Why Thanksgiving Dinner Makes You So Sleepy

Does a big turkey dinner make you sleepy? Unless a microwave dinner is your idea of a Thanksgiving feast, you probably have had firsthand experience with the after-dinner fatigue that sets in after the meal. Why do you want a nap? To escape the dishes? Perhaps, but the meal itself plays a big part in the way you feel. L-Tryptophan and Turkey The turkey is often cited as the culprit in after-dinner lethargy, but the truth is that you could omit the bird altogether and still feel the effects of the feast. Turkey does contain L-tryptophan, an essential amino acid with a documented sleep inducing effect. L-tryptophan is used in the body to produce the B-vitamin, niacin. Tryptophan also can be metabolized into serotonin and melatonin, neurotransmitters that exert a calming effect and regulates sleep. However, L-tryptophan needs to be taken on an empty stomach and without any other amino acids or protein in order to make you drowsy. Theres lots of protein in a serving of turkey and its probably not the only food on the table. Its worth noting that other foods contain as much or more tryptophan than turkey (0.333 g of tryptophan per 100-gram edible portion), including chicken (0.292 g of tryptophan per 100-gram edible portion), pork, and cheese. As with turkey, other amino acids are present in these foods besides tryptophan, so they dont make you sleepy. L-Tryptophan and Carbohydrates L-tryptophan may be found in turkey and other dietary proteins, but its actually a carbohydrate-rich (as opposed to protein-rich) meal that increases the level of this amino acid in the brain and leads to serotonin synthesis. Carbohydrates stimulate the pancreas to secrete insulin. When this occurs, some amino acids that compete with tryptophan leave the bloodstream and enter muscle cells. This causes an increase in the relative concentration of tryptophan in the bloodstream. Serotonin is synthesized and you feel that familiar sleepy feeling. Fats Fats slow down the digestive system, giving Thanksgiving dinner plenty of time to take effect. Fats also take a lot of energy to digest, so the body will redirect blood to your digestive system to tackle the job. Since you have less blood flow elsewhere, you will feel less energetic after eating a meal rich in fats. Alcohol Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. If alcoholic beverages are part of the holiday celebration, then they will add to the nap-factor. Overeating It takes a great deal of energy to digest a large meal. When your stomach is full, blood is directed away from other organ systems, including your nervous system. The result? You will feel the need to snooze after any big meal, particularly if it is high in fats and carbohydrates. Relaxation Although many people find the holidays stressful, the most relaxing part of the festivities is likely to be the meal. No matter what you may have been doing throughout the day, Thanksgiving dinner provides an opportunity to sit back and relax -- a feeling that can carry over after the meal. So, why are you sleepy after a big turkey dinner? Its a combination of the type of food, amount of food, and celebratory atmosphere. Happy Thanksgiving!

Oedipus the King and Alienation - 2026 Words

Alienation Alienation is the process of becoming a separate part of the society; this is connected to the social side of life. It leaves one with a feeling of loneliness, which can either be mental or physical. As a result, characters in this instance become alienated from the world they live in. Three examples of characters who suffer from alienation are Oedipus from the play Oedipus the King, â€Å"the monster† from the novel Frankenstein, and Hamlet in the play Hamlet. These three characters go through the several stages of alienation to relieve themselves from the feeling of†¦show more content†¦His boat gets stuck hundreds of miles from land in sheets of ice. He decides to write a letter to his sister back in England and he talks about how he wants a male friend to keep him company on the boat. Walton then runs into Victor, a very strange man to say the least. Victor talks about his life to Walton and explains about this creature he made out of human corpses. Back in Geneva , Victor’s hometown, his brother is murdered. The house servant, Justine, is accused of the murder of William. Victor realizes the monster he made is the murderer and Justine is in fact innocent. Victor decides to go on a trip to the Swiss Alps to sleep and relax. Victor ends up running into the monster. The monster tells him a sad story about how he was alienated from the world and how he killed the boy out of revenge. The monster is mad that he was made alone and has no friends. He talks about how he has a miserable life. The monster says â€Å"I, the miserable and the abandoned, am an abortion, to be spurned at, and kicked, and trampled on† (Shelley 67). He explains a story about how a family of cottagers gave him hope that he would soon find compassion. They ended up deserting him and driving him away and this was his last chance to connect with society. â€Å"I am alone and miserable: man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself woul d not deny herself to me. My companion must be of the same species and have the sameShow MoreRelatedCharacters Of Characters Ordinary People And The Play Oedipus At Colonus 1691 Words   |  7 PagesAlienation is when someone is being isolated from a group or an activity to which one should be involved. Throughout The novels Ordinary People by Judith Guest, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, and the play Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles, alienation is shown. In Ordinary People, Conrad suffers from depression. His brother Buck died in a Boat accident which Conrad feels responsible for. Ever sense that Conrad and his family have never been the same. 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Wind Energy free essay sample

Renewable sources of energy Wind energy Wind Energy,  energy  contained  in the force of the winds blowing across the earth’s surface. When harnessed, wind energy can be converted into mechanical energy for performing work such as pumping water, grinding grain, and milling lumber. By connecting a spinning rotor (an assembly of blades attached to a hub) to an electric generator, modern wind turbines convert wind energy, which turns the rotor, into electrical energy. writing service in linux Because  wind  is  a  clean and renew able source of energy, modern wind turbines had been installed in 26 countries by 2007, including such nations as Germany, Denmark, India, China, and the United States, to supplement more traditional sources of electric power, such as burning coal. Design improvements such as more efficient rotor blades combined with an increase in the numbers of wind turbines installed, have helped increase the world’s wind energy generating capacity by nearly 150 percent since 1990. We will write a custom essay sample on Wind Energy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Windmill,  machine  that  converts wind into useful energy. This energy is derived from the force of wind acting on oblique blades or sails that radiate from a shaft. The turning shaft may be connected to machinery used to perform such work as milling grain, pumping water, or generating electricity. When the shaft is connected to a load, such as a pump, the device is typically called a windmill. When it is used to generate electricity, it is known as a wind turbine generator. Besides  milling  grain and irrigating farmland, windmills developed from the 15th century to the 19th century were adapted to a variety of tasks, including pumping seawater from land below sea level, sawing wood, making paper, pressing oil from seeds, and grinding many different materials. By the 19th century the Dutch had built about 9000 windmills. In 2006 the United States became the world’s third largest producer of energy from wind power, generating more than 11. 5 megawatts of electricity. Wind Energy System Components Modern  wind  energy  systems consist of three basic components Tower Improvements  in  structural design and construction materials have led to the construction of taller towers, allowing rotors to be mounted farther off the ground, where winds are typically stronger. Wind turbine towers, which house the cables that conduct electricity from the generator through the base of the tower, can be constructed from metal, reinforced plastics, and concret [pic] [pic] [pic]