It’s a Thanksgiving tradition for many – as soon as the table is cleared and the dishes are put away (and sometimes before), many folks will settle down for an afternoon nap. More than half of all adults who celebrate Thanksgiving plan to take a snooze after their meal according to a survey commissioned by Dunkin’ Donuts. The amino acid tryptophan has long been credited as the force behind the sleepy sensation so many people experience after Thanksgiving dinner, but science suggests otherwise. According the American Institute for Cancer Research, eating a large meal can cause your gastrointestinal tract to work overtime to digest the feast and extra blood is redirected from the brain to the gut. That means the energy-rich blood normally fueling your brain is going somewhere else, causing you to feel tired. According to the Dunkin’ Donuts survey, 60% of the people who chose to snooze after Thanksgiving dinner are men; 56% are women.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Snoozin’ On Turkey Day
It’s a Thanksgiving tradition for many – as soon as the table is cleared and the dishes are put away (and sometimes before), many folks will settle down for an afternoon nap. More than half of all adults who celebrate Thanksgiving plan to take a snooze after their meal according to a survey commissioned by Dunkin’ Donuts. The amino acid tryptophan has long been credited as the force behind the sleepy sensation so many people experience after Thanksgiving dinner, but science suggests otherwise. According the American Institute for Cancer Research, eating a large meal can cause your gastrointestinal tract to work overtime to digest the feast and extra blood is redirected from the brain to the gut. That means the energy-rich blood normally fueling your brain is going somewhere else, causing you to feel tired. According to the Dunkin’ Donuts survey, 60% of the people who chose to snooze after Thanksgiving dinner are men; 56% are women.
