Why Does My Hand Fall Asleep? Causes of Numbness & Tingling

What Causes Hands to Fall Asleep?

Have you ever woken up and found your hand totally numb and tingling? That prickly pins and needles sensation when a limb "falls asleep" is medically known as paresthesia. This disruption in normal nerve function has several potential causes.

Pressure on Nerves and Blood Vessels

The most common reason your hand can fall asleep involuntarily is sustained pressure on the nerves or blood vessels serving the arm or wrist. This can occur from:

• Resting your head on an arm while sleeping
• Crossing your legs for too long with pressure at the knee crease
• Slouching with bad posture compressing nerves
• Constricting wrist with watches, bracelets or other jewelry
• Holding a phone to your ear with a crooked shoulder position

Shifting position to relieve the tension on compressed nerves will gradually restore normal sensation as circulation improves. Tingling should resolve within minutes.

Medical Conditions Causing Numbness

Beyond simple pressure, persistent hand numbness or tingling can also be a sign of an underlying medical issue. Some possibilities include:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome - pinched nerve at the wrist
• Radiculopathy - compressed nerve in the spine from disc herniation
• Diabetes - nerve damage from high blood sugar
• Raynaud's phenomenon - impaired circulation to extremities
• Stroke - nerve disorders from brain blood flow problems

See your doctor promptly if numbness does not improve shortly after repositioning or starts occurring independently of pressure triggers. This can indicate a more serious nerve or health condition requiring treatment.

How to Make Your Hands Fall Asleep

While an arm or hand unintentionally falling asleep can be unpleasant, you may wonder if it's possible to induce the numb sensation deliberately. There are a few methods that can recreate pins and needles in an extremity.

Caution Advised Attempting Any "Falling Asleep" Techniques

Before trying any hand numbing tricks, keep a few important warnings in mind:

• Cutting off blood flow can damage nerves and vessels if held too long
• Underlying conditions may increase risk
• Pain, consistent numbness or loss of strength warrants medical care

Proceed cautiously and stop immediately if worrisome symptoms develop.

Sleeping Positions That Can Cause Numbness

One simple way your hand can fall asleep without direct compression is by cutting off arm circulation with different sleeping positions. For example:

• On your side - Bottom arm can go numb if pinned under your head at a sharp angle for long periods.
• On your back - Arms held overhead for extensive times can constrict circulation.
• On your stomach - Arms trapped under your torso can gradually lose normal sensation.

Shift frequently or use supportive pillow placement to reduce chances of an "asleep" limb in different rest postures overnight.

Propping and Crossing Arms or Legs

During waking hours, purposefully inducing a slightly numbed hand can be achieved through extended pressure holds. But take care to avoid taking this too far.

Gently propping your head up with hands or crossed arms can create delicate tingling after 5-10 minutes for most people. Additionally, folding your legs for moderate times may elicit mild pins and needles around bent knees.

The key is continually monitoring sensation and promptly discontinuing any position causing worrisome pain, discoloration or profound numbness. 10 minutes should be the maximum hold duration attempted.

Be Aware of Risk Factors

Those with pre-existing health problems should refrain from trying to deliberately make hands fall asleep, including:

• Diabetes
• Arthritis
• Carpal tunnel
• Poor circulation
• Nerve disorders

Individuals with these conditions are at increased danger of injury from restricted blood vessels and compressed nerves. Refrain from long duration arm crossing or pressure.

Relieving Numbness and Tingling

Whether your hand fell asleep accidentally overnight or numbness was caused intentionally through pressure holds, resolving the unpleasant sensation follows the same basic steps.

Restore Blood Flow

First and foremost, immediately relieve any tension, crosses or contact that are constricting nerves and vessels. Straighten cramped limbs and suspend any purposeful contortion of arms or legs.

This will allow fresh circulation to reach deprived nerves and let numbness gradually dissipate.

Gently Move Your Hands

Next, loosely shake out your hands and gently flex your fingers, wrists and elbows. Avoid sudden, forceful movements which could damage nerves.

Light active motion enhances blood flow to alleviate tingling. Take care not to overexert if stiffness or weakness persists initially.

Massage Tender Areas

If any localized discomfort remains, gently massage muscles near tender zones. Applying warmth through hot packs or warm water can also provide comfort.

However, refrain from scratching or picking at skin while numbed. This raises the risk of unintentional self-harm.

Monitor Symptoms

Pay close attention to your condition over the next several hours. Look for return of normal sensation, strength and function without excessive soreness or buzzing nerves.

If pain, weakness or numbness fail to fully resolve or hands frequently fall asleep without pressure triggers, seek medical guidance to address any underlying condition.

With proper precautions, most simple cases of a "sleeping" hand caused by compressed circulation can be safely alleviated at home. But recurrent or persistent numbness deserves professional assessment.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.