Why do I wake up with numb hands?

Have you ever wondered why you wake up with numb hands or no feeling in your arms? Let’s find out what happens while we sleep.

At first, the limbs lose feeling, then feel like they’re being pricked by needles. This is a fairly common phenomenon, says Dyck, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic. And it’s a cool example of how the body protects itself even during sleep paralysis, also known as sleep paralysis.

Dyck explains that it is a common misconception that tingling, numbness, and paralysis are caused by a lack of blood flow to the nerves. In fact, these symptoms are caused by nerve compression, pressure, and squeezing. We have several types of nerves in our arms. Each has an important function.

The axillary nerve lifts the arm at the shoulder.

Musculoskeletal nerve flexes the elbow.

The radial nerve straightens the arm and elevates the wrist and fingers.

The ulnar nerve extends the fingers.

Although Dyck says the exact physiology isn't fully understood, the effect of compressing any nerve during sleep is like pressing down on a sprinkler. Information back to the brain is temporarily interrupted.

So why do you feel numb when you wake up? He gives two reasons:

1) It is actually temporarily paralyzed.During REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, the brain sends signals that cause a state of paralysis of the body. The purpose of this is to prevent dreaming (which occurs during REM sleep).

But if we wake up during one of these stages, we may become conscious before we fully regain control of our limbs. This is called sleep paralysis (or sleep paralysis) and it can be a terrifying situation. You are stuck somewhere between dreaming and being awake, and you can't move.

2)Nerve compression has resulted in temporary paralysis.i (probably because you're stuck in a compressed position during REM sleep).

Nerve compression can damage nerves. The good news is that the body will naturally wake up as a protective mechanism when a nerve is compressed for too long. Once you wake up and the pressure is relieved, the nerves will quickly recover, often first with a tingling, numb feeling in the hand.

“Nerve structures tend to be irritated for a while as they heal,” explains the University of Rochester Medical Center. “That’s because the nerves are firing automatically. Most of the time, the tingling, numbness, and tingling sensation is a good sign. It’s a temporary phase that means the nerve is returning to normal function.”

Some people sleep with their hands pressed against them without much impact on the nerves, but there are some cases where compressed nerves can be a bigger problem.

One such condition is called “Saturday night paralysis syndrome,” a consequence of radial nerve compression, caused when a person falls asleep while also compressing the nerve due to alcohol intoxication.

If you are drunk, you will not be able to move your arm. And when you wake up the next day, you will not be able to extend your wrist and fingers. This can last for a while (even days or months) as the nerve repairs the protective layer.

Another problem is hereditary neuropathy with pressure paralysis (HNPP), a genetic condition that makes people susceptible to nerve damage that causes numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness. People with this condition must be extra careful not to sleep with one arm pressed against the other or with their legs propped up to avoid nerve compression.

In short, for most people who wake up with a paralyzed arm or leg, it is just a temporary discomfort. And we have nothing to fear, it will take a while to recover as normal. In cases of the above syndromes, when sleeping, you should avoid putting pressure on the arm or leg to avoid unnecessary damage.

According to Dantri