You are finally awake after a deep slumber, but do your hands still seem to be in one?
The feeling of numb hands after waking up is a widely shared experience, leaving us curious as to why it happens. The issue often disrupts our sleep in the middle of the night, and we experience a highly uncomfortable tingling or loss of sensation in the hand, fingers, or whole arm at times.
According to PRS Global Open research, hand numbness at night is often caused by a certain sleeping position. Let’s help you understand why this unsettling condition of hand numbness happens and how you can avoid it in this comprehensive guide.
Key Takeaways
- Optimal humidity for sleeping is between 30-50%, as both high and low humidity levels can disrupt sleep quality.
- Maintaining proper humidity levels can alleviate common sleep disturbances such as snoring, congestion, and discomfort during sleep.
- Tools like humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and smart thermostats can help manage bedroom humidity effectively.
- Adjusting humidity is particularly beneficial for individuals with sleep apnea, enhancing comfort and sleep quality.
Understanding the Causes of Waking Up with Numb Hands
There can be several reasons for hands going sensationless while sleeping. Here they are:
- Nerve compression: (ulnar nerve, radial nerve)
A compressed nerve is usually the culprit behind hand numbness. Some sleeping positions cause the muscles, tendons, or bones to pressure the ulnar or radial nerves. The ulnar nerve that runs from the neck to the pinky finger gets compressed at the elbow or the wrist, causing forearm or hand numbness. When the radial nerve gets compressed, it affects the thumb side of the hand, leading to numbness of the hand.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
When the median nerve compresses at the wrist, it causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). Repetitive hand movements or certain positions cause median nerve compression, giving a tingling sensation, numbness, or weakness in the hand and fingers. If your wrist is in an awkward position while sleeping, the symptoms worsen, leading to numbness during sleep.q 4ZD
- Peripheral Neuropathy
The peripheral nervous system is a vast network that transmits signals from the brain to the body. Damage to the peripheral nervous system from injury, infection, metabolic issues, or hereditary causes is known as Peripheral neuropathy. The damage affects the signal transmission from the brain, leading to numbness, weakness, or tingling in the affected body parts, including the hands.
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
There is a confined space between the collarbone and the first rib, known as the thoracic outlet. When nerves or blood vessels in the lower neck or upper chest get compressed in this area, it causes Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS). Symptoms of TOS include pain, numbness, and weakness in the neck, arms, and hands.
- Vitamin B Deficiency
Vitamin B is important for the myelin sheath, which protects and insulates the nerves. Vitamin B deficiency, especially Vitamin B6 and B12, leads to numbness and tingling in the hands, legs, or feet. According to a study by NIH, neuropathy (nerve damage) due to Vitamin B6 deficiency in adults starts with numbness of the affected parts.
If you begin feeling frequent numbness in your hands at night, get your Vitamin B levels checked.
- Alcohol Use
Alcohol consumption has a significant impact on the nervous system, so its excessive intake can make your hands feel numb. In fact, according to this study, prolonged alcohol consumption can lead to peripheral neuropathy. Along with nerve damage, excessive alcohol consumption affects vitamin absorption, particularly Vitamin B, which plays a crucial role in nerve health.
- Autoimmune diseases: (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus)
Some autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, can cause hand numbness. This happens due to peripheral neuropathy, which is one of the consequences of these diseases. The immune system mistakenly attacks the body tissues, causing nerve damage. The damage alters the sensitivities in the affected area, creating a tingling sensation or numbness.
- Cervical Spondylosis
Cervical spondylosis develops when the cervical vertebrae and discs degenerate, leading to pressure on nerves. Due to its impact on the cervical spine, the condition can contribute to numbness and tingling in the hands.
How Your Sleep Position Affects Your Hands
Sleeping positions are usually the culprit behind symptoms such as snoring, sleep apnea, and drooling during sleep. The position you sleep in plays a major role in hand numbness, as it influences the blood flow and nerve pressure. Certain sleep positions are the most common cause of carpal tunnel syndrome and pressure on your hand. When you sleep in a position that puts pressure on nerves and stay in the position for long, the blood flow is hampered, inducing compression. As a result, you feel tingling or numbness in the hands, fingers, or arm.
Sleeping with bent arms over the head or bent elbows are positions that can irritate nerves, fostering numbness. Other positions are sleeping on your back, side, or stomach, also contribute to numbness. Side sleeping, however, is linked to a lower risk of experiencing tingling and numbness during sleep, according to a research from NIH.
Proper sleep position is important to maintain a healthy blood flow all over the body, preventing nerve compression that leads to numbness.
Is Waking Up to Numb Hands Dangerous?
It’s understandable to get concerned if you occasionally find your hand numb after waking up. It is probably due to harmless factors like sleeping positions if it happens sometimes. However, more frequent numbness may signal an underlying issue, such as Vitamin B deficiency, or nerve disorders, such as Peripheral Neuropathy or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. You should consult your healthcare provider to rule out a nervous or circulatory problem.
Numbness in Hands While Sleeping: An Early Sign of Diabetic Neuropathy?
If you find your hands frequently going numb, another cause of concern may be the onset of diabetes. Diabetes related nerve issues are one of the consequences of uncontrolled diabetes. They cause pain, paresthesia (feeling of pins and needles), and anesthesia (loss of sensation) in the hands.
Almost half of individuals suffering from diabetes experience nerve damage, resulting in hand weakness and numbness. Typically, neuropathy in diabetic patients starts from hands and feet and may spread to other parts of the body. This, along with other uncomfortable symptoms like thirst and weight loss, make it even more essential to get your blood sugar levels in check and to go for proper evaluation and management for diabetes.
Numb Hands and Systemic Health
We have discussed the possible causes behind numbness of hands while sleeping, including nerve disorders such as Peripheral Neuropathy and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Vitamin B deficiency also causes nerve damage that leads to tingling and loss of sensation. Here are a few more health conditions that can be the reason behind numbness in the hands during sleep:
- Spinal Cord/Brachial Plexus Issues: If the nerves in and around these areas get compressed or damaged, your hands might go numb, and you can also experience weakening of the arms.
- Stroke: A stroke can hinder blood flow to the brain, resulting in sensory issues such as numbness of hands.
- Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD): It is a cardiovascular disorder where arteries become narrow. It limits blood flow to the limbs, causing hand numbness.
Conditions affecting the functioning of the heart and blood vessels may result in reduced blood flow to hands and arms, causing loss of sensation and uncomfortable tingling. If the numbness in your hands worsens over time, talk with your healthcare provider for further evaluation and management of the condition.
Does Sleeping on Your Back Prevent Tingling Hands?
When you sleep on your back, the compression of the nerves minimizes, reducing pressure on your arms and hands. The alignment of your arm and hands also remains neutral in this position, decreasing the risk of numbness. Using a mattress that contours your spine further helps, as a properly aligned spine during sleep reduces nerve tension.
In contrast, sleep positions that bend arms or wrists increase nerve compression, risking hand numbness. Instead of sleeping with wrists flexed or arms curled inward, keep wrists and elbows straight during sleep to avoid numbness. While comfort level varies for every individual, sleeping on your back alleviates the issue of hand numbing to a significant level.
Arms and Hands Fall Asleep While Sleeping: 9 Positional Remedies
Sleeping in an awkward position is usually the culprit behind arm, hand, and finger numbness. If you want to get rid of hand numbness, there are several tried and tested tips from experts that can help you:
1. Elevate the Arms
Keep your arms elevated with the help of pillows to ease nerve pressure. This will improve blood flow and reduce the chance of waking up with numb hands and fingers.
2. Neutral Wrist Position
Keep the wrist in a neutral position to avoid excessive bending and flexing. This helps maintain the optimal blood flow to the hands, reducing the risk of nerve compression.
3. Side Sleeper Strategy
Side sleeping helps with the prevention of numbness, but you need to keep the arms alongside the body rather than tucked under or bent. Keeping the arm in this position saves you from the likelihood of waking up in the morning with numb hands. Sleeping on your side is not just a way to minimize numbness. It is also the best sleep position to avoid acid reflux and snoring.
4. Back Sleeper Positioning
Another way to minimize the risk of numbness is to sleep on your back. As the pressure is reduced on your spine, the blood flow improves and alleviates numbing.
5. Avoid Arm-Under-Head
To prevent nerve irritation and compression, never place your arm under the head during sleep.
6. Loose Hand Curl
It helps greatly to keep your hand in a relaxed, loose curl position. It prevents excessive tension or constriction on the nerves of the hand, maintaining proper blood flow.
7. Switch Sides Regularly
Switch sides regularly to distribute pressure evenly rather than sleeping in one position for a long time. Alternating sides reduces the risk of nerve compression that leads to numb hands on waking up.
8. Proper Neck Support
The position of your neck is vital to ensure a comfortable sleep at night without ending up with sensationless hands in the morning. If it is contoured properly with pillows, blood circulation to the arms and hands improves. Support your neck properly with pillows to ensure the spine aligns well during sleep.
9. Arm Stretching
Stretch your arms gently before sleep to relax muscles and reduce tension. Doing so minimizes potential nerve compression during sleep, preventing arm numbness.
When to See a Doctor Regarding Night Time Hand Numbness
Even after trying all the ways to prevent numbness of hands during the night, it still persists due to extensive damage or compression of the nerves in your hand. Here are the signs that your hand numbness warrants medical attention.
- Persistent Numbness: Continuous and recurring episodes of numb hands that doesn’t resolve.
- Increasing Intensity: You feel that the numbness gets worse each time, pointing towards a problem that is gradually escalating
- Numbness Accompanied by Pain: You feel immense pain in hands and arms along with the numbness.
- Loss of Strength: A weakened grip or a reduced ability to do normal chores with hands.
- Daytime Occurence: Your hands don’t just feel numb during sleep, the condition occurs during waking hours as well, signaling that the sleeping position is not the only thing going wrong.
- Visible Swelling: You notice puffiness in the affected hand.
- Limited Mobility: It is becoming difficult to do tasks due to numb hands.
- Single Hand Numbness: Only one hand gets numb, not both.
- Lack of Improvement: You have implied several self care measures to relieve hand numbness, but none seems to work.
If any of the above symptoms are found, get yourself properly evaluated for an accurate diagnoses
How to Reduce the Risk of Numbness in Hands During Sleep
There are some lifestyle adjustments that you can make to minimize hand numbness during sleep. These involve optimizing your bedroom setup in a way that nerve pressure is alleviated, reducing the risk of hand numbing.
Ergonomic pillows
These are special pillows designed to support the neck and arms. Using an ergonomic pillow can be a game-changer to prevent nerve compression. It plays a crucial role in maintaining a neutral spine alignment and proper arm positioning, reducing hand numbness.
Mattress with adequate support
Go for a mattress that provides balanced support to your neck, shoulders, and arms. It is important that the mattress should contour your spine as you sleep, as it significantly diminishing the chances of experiencing numbness caused by nerve compression.
Adjustable bed base
With adjustable bed bases, you can get a personalized positioning of your bed so that your upper body and arm is elevated. This adjustment reduces nerve compression and allows better blood circulation to the hands, guarding against numbness of hands.
Hand or wrist braces
Braces worn on hands and wrists are incredibly helpful to provide support and alignment. The braces avert uncomfortable bending suring sleep, which prevents nerve compression. If you are diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, using a hand and wrist brace is highly recommended to keep your wrist in a neutral position.
Arm elevation cushions
For better circulation to the hands through the night, try using cushions to keep your arm slightly elevated. This simple adjustment is sometimes enough to prevent hand numbing sensation after waking up.
Body pillows for side sleepers
Another reason to love the super comfy body pillows. If you are a side sleeper, a body pillow will help maintain an optimal spine alignment, averting compression of the nerves. A body pillow ensures better sleep quality by preventing hand numbness during sleep.
Neck contour pillow
We highly recommend using an ergonomic pillow for neck support if you frequently suffer from numb hand upon waking up. The design of a good quality neck contour pillow is ergonomic, which means it provides specialized alignment by conforming to the natural curves of head and neck. The pillow efficiently cradles the arms, ensuring you sleep comfortably in a side position. As a result, the nerve pressure is mitigated and your hands won’t go numb after waking up.
The contour design of the ergonomic neck pillow evenly distributes weight. It helps enhance blood circulation and reducing nerve compression in the arms and hands. With targeted support to vital areas throughout the night, this type of pillow ensures an uninterrupted, restful sleep through the night.
Waking Up with a Numb Hand is A Symptom to Pay Attention To
Waking up periodically with numb hands is definitely annoying. However, frequent happenings are a silent pointer towards a health condition that might need immediate attention. It is important to note how often you suffer from this condition and how intense it is.
Numb hands on waking up are a secret note from your body. They compel you to get yourself checked for issues with nerves, circulation, and other health conditions mentioned in this article. Tracking the frequency of the condition and paying attention to other symptoms could help your healthcare provider give you an accurate diagnosis and timely medical attention.
