Why Do My Hands Go Numb When I Sleep?

Many people have experienced the feeling of waking up in the middle of the night with numb hands. The feeling can be downright terrifying – you’re tired, disoriented, and you can’t feel your hands. Thankfully, most instances of hand numbness at night are nothing to be concerned about. But there are other cases wherein numb hands could signal a much more series issue. Here we are going to walk you through the various potential conditions and injuries that could cause hand numbness while you sleep.

The Most Common Cause of Numbness During Sleep

The most common cause of hand numbness while you sleep is a temporary nerve impingement. As you toss and turn during the night, you may end up with your arm in an awkward position that impacts the peripheral nerves that provide feeling to your extremities. Many patients describe this feeling as:

• Tingling
• Numbness
• Pins & Needles
• Fuzziness
• Or no feeling at all

If you’ve ever had your foot “fall asleep” after sitting in a strange position for a long time – this is the same general concept. Moving your arm or foot will resolve the issue in a few minutes.

More Serious Causes

There are also other, most severe potential causes of numbness in the extremities. If your hand does not regain feeling after a few minutes of a numbness episode, or if the numbness comes and goes when you’re not in an awkward position – the cause may be rooted in the spine.

The spinal nerves send signals from the brain to the other parts of the body (and vice versa). Sometimes these nerves in the spine can be damaged by a bulging spinal disc, vertebrae fracture, or injury. When this happens, the patient can experience pain, as well as numbness in the extremities.

If you are experiencing prolonged bouts on numbness in your hands, feet, or elsewhere in the body, contact a spine specialist right away to diagnose your condition and discuss treatment options. Spinal nerve damage typically should be treated quickly with a minimally invasive keyhole spine procedure to prevent permanent consequences.