Thanksgiving kickstarts the holiday season and is filled with family, friends and lots of your favorite foods. While some people may look forward to the holidays, others feel anxious and dread being surrounded by extended family members. This is common and you aren’t alone if you get more stressed out being around relatives.
In some cases, the foods you’re surrounded by on Thanksgiving may trigger certain feelings as well. A day centered on food and alcohol can present a challenge for those who are trying to reach certain wellness goals without subscribing to diet culture. Instead of feeling guilty or anxious, try these five strategies for a successful and less stressful Thanksgiving holiday.
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1. Avoid the uncomfortable food coma
Ever wondered why you get so lethargic and tired after eating Thanksgiving dinner? There are actually a few reasons why — and no, turkey isn’t to blame.
Tryptophan, a large amino acid that is known to cause sleepiness, is indeed found in turkey, but this link is more complicated than it seems. We already have high amounts of tryptophan in the bloodstream, which is converted to serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for making you feel tired, in the brain. But the levels of tryptophan in turkey alone aren’t enough to make you drowsy. Tryptophan’s effect is multiplied when your insulin is higher. This means that foods with a high glycemic index such as starchy carbohydrates — like potatoes, stuffing and sugary desserts — are really the culprit. If you just eat turkey by itself, you shouldn’t run into any issues.
The digestion process itself can also be to blame. There’s a known myth that blood is diverted from the brain to the gut after overeating, but this actually isn’t true. Instead, our gut hormones are apt to secrete hormones like melatonin and orexin to intentionally make us sleepy after we eat a big meal. Our gut also plays a role in activating our vagus nerve, putting us in a state of
5 Ways to Stay Centered And Calm This Thanksgiving
