Ever eaten a big plate of rice and chicken, only to find yourself fighting sleep 20 minutes later?
You may not have known then but that was the chicken you just ate at work.
And there’s science that backs this up. Let’s break it down in the simplest, and most relatable way.
5 Surprising Ways Chicken can help You Sleep Better.
1. Chicken Contains Tryptophan.
Tryptophan is an amino acid your body uses to produce:
Serotonin — the “feel good” hormone
Melatonin — the sleep-regulating hormone
When these levels rise, your body naturally feels calmer, more relaxed, and ready to rest. So that peaceful heaviness after eating chicken is the work of tryptophan in your body.
2. Chicken is High in protein.
High-protein foods like chicken keep your blood sugar steady.
And stable blood sugar equals a calm nervous system.
This calmness often shows up as light drowsiness after eating, especially if your meal includes carbs like: rice, yams, potatoes or pasta.
Carbs help your body absorb tryptophan faster, making the sleepy effect even stronger.
3. Feeling Full Naturally Signals the Body to Rest.
When you eat a full chicken meal your body diverts energy to digestion.
That process triggers what scientists call postprandial somnolence or simply known as… “food sleep.”
It’s your body saying, “Take a break while I process this food”.
4. Comfort Foods Make the Body Relax.
Warm chicken-based meals like: chicken pepper soup, chicken broth, chicken stew and chicken curry, tend to relax the muscles and calm the mind. It’s the same reason many people take chicken pepper soup when sick — it soothes the body.
When the body is relaxed, sleep feels natural.
By now, there's one question that would be on your mind, and that is…
“If eating chicken helps improve sleep, can it be used to replace sleeping pills?”
Let's talk about that.
Chicken doesn’t put you to sleep the way a sleeping pill does.
But it supports the biochemical processes that help your body rest, especially when combined with carbohydrates.
When you’re in need of nighttime comfort food, a light chicken meal is a great option.
So the next time you need something to help calm your nerves and put you to sleep, eat chicken.
Thankfully, we sell high-quality chicken at incredibly affordable prices. To get one for yourself, click the button below and we'll get you started!
