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Halloween is just 10 days away, and you may be gearing up for a long trick-or-treating session with your kids. Not only are your kids likely to go on a massive sugar binge on October 31st, but parents have been known to take a little “candy tax” of their own. Bringing back fond memories of your own childhood Halloweens, you may feel tempted to raid the old plastic pumpkin after the kids are fast asleep. Unfortunately, if you are someone who has issues with sleeping, you may want to think twice about what you eat and when you eat it, no matter what day of the year it is. The Riverside dentists at Riverside Dental Group, will explain more.

Sugar High

Sugar can cause your body to react very similarly to caffeine. The stimulant effects of sugar trigger a release of cortisol. If you find yourself saying “just one more” as you plough through mini chocolate bar after mini chocolate bar, your blood sugar levels are bound to spike just as you’re trying to fall asleep. The body will then release insulin to rapidly reduce your blood sugar levels to offset the spike. This will lead to an orhypoglycemic state, also known as a blood sugar crash. Your body will be subject to something called nighttime hypoglycemia, which results in sudden panicked arousals similar to those seen in obstructive sleep apnea patients.

Alcohol Disturbs Sleep

After all of that going door-to-door, you may prefer to unwind with a cocktail, beer, or glass of wine. You may think of too much alcohol as leading to a deep sleep, but unfortunately, the quality of sleep is not good if you have imbibed in too many spirits. Just as with sweets, drinking alcohol before bed can cause blood sugar spikes and crashes. Many cocktail mixers are full of sugar, and you may find that your pancreas is working overtime to balance blood sugar levels. This will lead to restless sleep, just as those chocolates might.

Snoring from Riverside Dentists

Some sleep issues, such as snoring and sleep apnea, can be treated by dentists. If you snore excessively or fear you might have obstructive sleep apnea, contact Dental Associates of Riverside at (951) 369-1001. Our family dentist office serves patients throughout Riverside County, including Corona, Temecula, and Moreno Valley.