The 7 Sleep Friendly Foods to Enjoy This Thanksgiving

It’s getting to be that time of year… Thanksgiving usually marks the moment our fitness routines and sleep schedules file for a temporary leave of absence. The gym sessions get shorter, the meals get heavier, and we already start telling ourselves not to worry because New Year’s resolutions are just around the corner.

But let’s flip the script for a second and think of the holidays not as a hurdle for our health and fitness, but a healthy occasion in their own right every year. For example, spending time with family and friends spikes oxytocin and lowers cortisol, proving that this meaningful time for social connection is just as vital for longevity as your Zone 2 cardio.

The trick is finding the middle ground. How can we enjoy the chaos without totally losing our physiological footing? The answer lies in the secret weapons already on the table.

While some holiday staples induce a food coma, others are legitimately bio-hacked to help you sleep deeper and recover faster. We’re leaning on insights from experts like Andrew Huberman and Matthew Walker to highlight seven foods that help you maintain your sleep baseline while you enjoy the party.

Here is your Thanksgiving menu for a better night’s sleep.

1. Turkey (and the real tryptophan story) 

Let’s clear up the biggest myth of Thanksgiving. Everyone blames the turkey for the post-dinner nap because of a chemical called tryptophan. But as Matthew Walker notes, turkey contains the same amount of tryptophan as chicken or beef. If tryptophan were truly a strong sedative, a chicken sandwich at lunch would put you to sleep.

Turkey is high-quality protein that supports satiety. The magic happens when you pair it with carbs (stuffing, anyone?). The insulin release helps shuttle competing amino acids to your muscles, clearing the path for tryptophan to reach your brain. It’s not a knockout punch; it’s a gentle, biological nudge toward relaxation.

2. Pumpkin (The quiet magnesium advantage)

You see pumpkin everywhere this month, but the best reason to put it on your plate is the magnesium.

Magnesium is critical for calming the nervous system (regulating NMDA and GABA receptors). Most of us run a slight deficit here, which can make sleep restless. While pumpkin pie brings the sugar, the pumpkin itself is doing heavy lifting for your recovery.

Pro move: Lean into savory pumpkin soups or roasted sides to get the magnesium without the sugar spike.

3. Tart Cherries (The melatonin connection)

You might not find these on every table, but if you see a tart cherry crisp, grab a slice. Cherries are one of the few natural sources of melatonin. Studies show tart cherry juice can improve sleep efficiency and reduce nighttime awakenings. Plus, they’re an anti-inflammatory powerhouse - perfect for recovery if you sprinted the final 100 yards of the Turkey Trot against your teenage cousin.

Pro-move:  try creating a tart cherry “sleepy girl mocktail”.

4. Sweet Potatoes (Complex carb power)

Unlike the sugary rolls or white potatoes that spike your energy and crash it later, sweet potatoes provide a steady release of fuel. The combination of complex carbs, potassium, and magnesium helps prevent those blood sugar crashes that wake you up at 3 AM.

Huberman often cites glucose stability as a key factor in staying asleep. Whether you roast them with sea salt or top them with marshmallows (we don’t judge), the base tuber is keeping your blood sugar steady overnight.

5. Dark Leafy Greens (The micronutrient layer)

Thanksgiving is usually a sea of beige. Adding greens isn’t just about "being healthy"; it’s about balancing the heavy stuff.  Greens like spinach, chard, and kale provide folate and calcium, which helps convert tryptophan into melatonin. The fiber also slows down digestion, keeping your energy stable through the evening.

6. Nuts and Seeds (The nervous system boost)

Pecans and walnuts are the unsung heroes of sleep nutrition, as they are rich in magnesium, zinc, and healthy fats, which help shift your body into the parasympathetic (rest and digest) state. Zinc also helps regulate neurotransmitters related to mood. Just go easy on the candied versions unless you want a big sugar rush.

7. Dark Chocolate (The mood stabilizer)

Dark chocolate is the perfect way to close out the meal. If it’s 70% dark or higher, it’s packed with flavanols that support blood flow and calmness. It also triggers serotonin pathways, giving you that nice "post-meal closure" feeling.

Note however that it does contain caffeine. And as Matthew Walker suggests, if you are super sensitive, have your square after an early dinner rather than right before bed.

Enjoyment Is the Goal

The point isn't to turn Thanksgiving into a restricted diet. It’s about being thoughtful to get the most enjoyment out of the day. Here are a few of my favorite tips to help…

1. Move Early: A morning walk or run (or turkey trot!) builds "sleep pressure" (adenosine) so you can sleep well even if you eat more than usual.
2. Front-load: Eat the heavier goods earlier in the day to give your digestion a head start.
3. Hydrate: Water with electrolytes offsets the sodium from the gravy and friends.
4. Connect: Enjoy the people (and skip politics), as stress ruins sleep faster than pie does.

This year, fill your plate with the good stuff, enjoy the company, and use these foods to wake up the next morning feeling ready for a leftover sandwich—and a nap.

Happy Thanksgiving.