Struggling with sleepless nights or restless mornings?

Many people overlook the connection between the food we eat and the quality of our sleep. There are many nutrients linked to better sleep, but tryptophan stands out as a key player; thanks to its relationship with serotonin and melatonin.

This essential amino acid influences deeper, more restorative sleep by supporting the production of serotonin and melatonin—two brain chemicals critical to a good night’s rest.

Let’s explore how tryptophan works, how your diet might already be helping (or hurting), and what adjustments you can make for better rest.

What is Tryptophan, and Why is It Important?

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, meaning your body cannot produce it, and you must to obtain it through food. Once consumed, tryptophan is converted into serotonin, a neurotransmitter that promotes feelings of well-being and relaxation. Serotonin is later transformed into melatonin—the hormone regulating your sleep-wake cycle.

Eating a diet rich in tryptophan can benefit your sleep, but there’s more to the story. While turkey is famously associated with tryptophan, many protein-rich foods contain comparable amounts of tryptophan, such as chicken, pork, and salmon.

However, tryptophan interacts with other nutrients and this determines how much will reach your brain and support melatonin production.

Did You Know?

The common belief that turkey causes drowsiness during your Thanksgiving or Christmas meal isn’t entirely accurate.

The sleepiness most people feel is more likely due to heavy carbohydrate intake during these meals, not from the turkey (or tryptophan).

Why Do We Feel Tired After Big Meals Like Thanksgiving?

Holidays often bring feasts rich in high-glycemic foods like mashed potatoes, stuffing, and sweet desserts. These carbohydrate-heavy meals flood your body with glucose, triggering insulin release. The release of insulin is not a bad thing, in fact it supports the goal you are looking for from tryptophan.

Insulin not only aids in glucose absorption but it plays a key role in how tryptophan enters the brain. After a meal, insulin reduces the presence of competing amino acids in the bloodstream, allowing more tryptophan to cross the blood-brain barrier.

This triggers and leads to increased production of serotonin and melatonin, leading to feelings of drowsiness—commonly known as the infamous “Thanksgiving coma.”

The Hidden Sleep Cycle Saboteur

Here’s the catch — with sugar/carb-rich meals, they can lead to sleep disturbances later in the night. This is because 3-4 hours after a rapid blood sugar spike there is a blood sugar crash. Which may wake you up in the early hours, leaving you tossing and turning. This is because your brain needs sugar to function, and when the blood sugar crashes your body will do of two things 1) hits you with some cortisol because cortisol makes blood sugar available from your cells to be usable by your brain 2) stir you awake with adrenaline because your body needs to eat something to provide your brain with sugar. Both of these reactions will disturb your sleep.

For those already battling insomnia, maintaining steady blood sugar levels is crucial for uninterrupted rest.

Also, food sensitivities (like gluten intolerance) could contribute to daytime lethargy and poor nighttime sleep without you even realizing it. Symptoms might not always be obvious; instead, they may manifest as fatigue or restlessness.

Foods High in Tryptophan to Support Better Sleep

If you’re looking to boost the tryptophan in your diet naturally, it’s not just about eating turkey or chicken! A balanced variety of plant-based and animal-based foods can provide essential benefits while supporting stable blood sugar levels.

Animal-Based Tryptophan Sources

• Chicken  

• Turkey  

• Salmon  

• Eggs (particularly egg whites)  

• Pork

Note: These high-protein foods contain other amino acids that can compete with tryptophan for absorption, so don’t depend solely on them to boost your tryptophan. Or combine with healthy carbs like: sweet potatoes, brown rice, or corn.

Plant-Based Tryptophan Sources

Plant-based options often provide tryptophan in a form that’s easier for your body to absorb, particularly when paired with a healthy source of carbohydrates. Examples include:

• Pumpkin seeds  

• Sesame seeds  

• Walnuts

• Cashews  

• Oats

• Quinoa  

• Bananas

• Pineapple  

Adding one or two of these foods at different meals can help naturally regulate your serotonin production, preparing your body for restful sleep.

Superfood Highlight

Spirulina, a nutrient-dense blue-green algae, is an excellent plant-based tryptophan source.

It’s perfect for smoothies or as a supplement to your daily meals.

KEY TAKE AWAY: Balance all your meals with a mix of protein and carbohydrates to stabilize blood sugar and support tryptophan uptake.

What about Tryptophan Supplements?

While it is tempting to bypass diet and jump straight to tryptophan supplements, I recommend caution.

Supplements may provide temporary relief but can have long-term drawbacks.

The Risks of Overuse of Tryptophan Supplements

When the body processes excessive tryptophan, it can enter the kynurenine pathway, which has been linked to neuroinflammation—potentially worsening sleep problems instead of improving them.

Additionally, if your body experiences chronic inflammation from poor gut health or nutrient deficiencies, you might metabolize tryptophan inefficiently. This leaves you with lower serotonin and poor-quality sleep.

Instead, a better choice to supplement for serotonin deficiency is to take 5-HTP. If you are considering supplements like 5-HTP (a serotonin precursor) to deal with low serotonin levels, consult your healthcare provider—especially if you’re on antidepressants like SSRIs. Combining the two can lead to serotonin syndrome, a rare but serious condition.

Focus on natural dietary sources of tryptophan and stable blood sugar levels — this is the safest and most effective approach.

Testing for neurotransmitters to support your sleep

If you need additional support, I’m here to help.

Here are some steps we would explore together:

• Identify if testing for neurotransmitters would help you sleep better. We can test for tryptophan, serotonin and other calming neurotransmitters such as GABA, taurine and glycine. If these are brought to optimal levels, they can support good sleep.

• Do a saliva cortisol test and see if there are high levels when you try to fall asleep at night or when you wake up and are unable to go back to sleep. If not, we can use certain supplements and herbs to correct this imbalance and get you sleeping well again.

• Figure out together what the root cause of why you can't sleep, which may be imbalances in your digestion or sex hormones.

To explore how working together would look like in person in Boulder CO click here, or through my telehealth program click here.

Check out my book: The Deep Blue Sleep—A Roadmap to Fall Asleep and Stay Asleep Naturally.  Available in Paperback, E-book, and Audio.