{"id":1257,"date":"2020-11-23T21:09:38","date_gmt":"2020-11-23T21:09:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/blog\/?p=1257"},"modified":"2021-01-27T16:51:45","modified_gmt":"2021-01-27T16:51:45","slug":"the-best-worst-thanksgiving-foods-for-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/blog\/2020\/11\/23\/the-best-worst-thanksgiving-foods-for-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best &#038; Worst Thanksgiving Foods for Sleep"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/AdobeStock_89800782__1604329298_79784.jpg\" alt=\"table filled with Thanksgiving foods \" class=\"wp-image-1258\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/AdobeStock_89800782__1604329298_79784.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/AdobeStock_89800782__1604329298_79784-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/AdobeStock_89800782__1604329298_79784-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>We all know the feeling. You\u2019ve just indulged in a world-class Thanksgiving meal and now feel the heaviness of your eyes and your brain going foggy. You fall asleep, only to wake up hours later questioning what day it is. While many people have simply accepted this as a Thanksgiving ritual, there is actually a much more scientific reason for this phenomenon: your food. Sounds simple, right? But what you may not know is that certain foods that induce a midday nap might come back to haunt you when you crawl into bed later that evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p>Our diet and sleep are closely linked, and many of us feel this more around the holidays than other times of year due to the abundance of rich meals \u2014 and Thanksgiving is no exception. But while some foods may make you sleepy only temporarily, simply requiring a Thanksgiving nap to recover (turkey, we\u2019re looking at you), other treats may upset your sleep the entire night. This Thanksgiving, take note of what foods and drinks to enjoy and which to limit in order to keep your body and sleep schedule happy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Good Thanksgiving Foods to Enjoy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Almonds, Walnuts, Pistachios, and other nuts:<\/strong> Nuts contain an array of vitamins and minerals that are helpful for a multitude of our body\u2019s processes, including helping you fall and stay asleep at night.<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sleepfoundation.org\/articles\/food-and-drink-promote-good-nights-sleep\" target=\"_blank\"> These minerals include magnesium, zinc, and small amounts of melatonin.<\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sleepfoundation.org\/articles\/food-and-drink-promote-good-nights-sleep\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Rice<\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>While most carbohydrates will leave you feeling groggy and sluggish, rice seems to be an outlier. It\u2019s been suggested that the impact of rice on healthy sleep is attributed to what the rice is eaten with, so be sure to put your leftover turkey to good use!<\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5015038\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Tart\/Sour Cherries<\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>The sleep boost provided by consuming tart cherry juice is arguably one of Mother Nature\u2019s greatest successes. Tart cherries contain all kinds of wonderful sleep health benefits, including a high concentration of melatonin.<\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/9-foods-to-help-you-sleep#2.-Turkey\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Tu<\/strong><\/a>rkey: Yes, the star of every Thanksgiving table is not only delicious but also nutritious (and great for sleep). Turkey contains a considerable amount of protein, which you don\u2019t just need to keep your body strong, but also to maintain a healthy appetite. Protein helps you regulate your eating habits which leads to a better night\u2019s rest. That being said, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5015038\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">high amounts of protein<\/a> can make it difficult to maintain sleep at night, so make sure your dinner plate is well balanced.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Foods You Should Limit or Avoid<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Realistically, it\u2019s impossible to avoid all the delicious-but-not-so-nutritious treats that make up most Thanksgiving meals, but you should try to avoid too many \u201cbad\u201d foods and drinks at one time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Lots of carbs: <\/strong>Those Thanksgiving foods that a lot of people love most \u2014 stuffing, sweet potato casserole, mac and cheese \u2014 are no doubt incredibly yummy, but they are also undeniably full of carbs. These high-carb foods are the largest culprits of that post-meal Thanksgiving crash because they increase our blood sugar and subsequently, our insulin, making us very drowsy. Generally, naps aren\u2019t too concerning, but if you sleep too long, your rest may be disrupted that night. It\u2019s wise to limit the carb-heavy side dishes (to about a half cup for each side) and set an alarm to wake you up from your nap after about 30 minutes so you don\u2019t overdo it. Learn all about the ideal length of naps <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/blog\/2017\/12\/19\/nap-sleep-apnea-atlanta\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>Too much alcohol or caffeine: <\/strong>If consumed too late in the day, caffeine can keep you up at night, and alcohol consumed too close to bedtime will disrupt your sleep cycle. There\u2019s nothing wrong with a cup of coffee to get your morning started or a glass or two of red wine to finish the day out \u2014 the key is moderation. It&#8217;s probably best to pass up the post-dinner dessert coffee and the hour-before-bed nightcap.<\/li><li><strong>Energy drinks and sweetened beverages<\/strong>:<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5015038\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> Both are generally associated with poor sleep quality.<\/a> If you\u2019re going all-in on the pumpkin and pecan pies, it\u2019s best to skip the Red Bull, soda, or sweet tea.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Eat (and Sleep) Well This Season<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, if you find yourself struggling with sleep any time of the year, you might be dealing with a more serious problem, such as a sleep disorder like sleep apnea. In this case, modifying your diet might help a little, but it won&#8217;t fix the root of the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanksgiving can be stressful enough without having to battle through chronic exhaustion, so if you\u2019re already tired before the first course is even served \u2013\u00a0 and deal with chronic snoring \u2013 be sure to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/request-an-appointment.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> contact Dr. Rodgers today to schedule a free consultation<\/a> to learn if sleep apnea is possibly affecting you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"We all know the feeling. You\u2019ve just indulged in a world-class Thanksgiving meal and now feel the heaviness of your eyes and your brain going foggy. You fall asleep, only to wake up hours later questioning what day it is. While many people have simply accepted this as a Thanksgiving ritual, there is actually a much more scientific reason for this phenomenon: your food. Sounds simple, right? But what you may not know is that [&hellip;] <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/blog\/2020\/11\/23\/the-best-worst-thanksgiving-foods-for-sleep\/\">(Read More)<\/a>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1257","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Best &amp; Worst Thanksgiving Foods for Sleep - Sleep Better Georgia Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Most us may not think too hard about the food we eat on Thanksgiving (other than how delicious it is), but it affects sleep more than we may think.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/blog\/2020\/11\/23\/the-best-worst-thanksgiving-foods-for-sleep\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Best &amp; 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