At night when I sleep my hands go numb. Why your hands go numb during sleep: causes and symptoms of the condition

Many people, especially representatives of older age groups, are familiar with the sensation of tingling and numbness in their hands, mainly at night. However, these symptoms can appear at any age. The main and most common cause of numbness in the hands at night is cervical numbness and salt deposition in the. This problem worries 70% of the population over the age of 50, but its development begins much earlier.

Exercise, stick to proper nutrition And !

Other causes of discomfort in the hands include diseases of the heart and circulatory system, atherosclerosis, vascular atherothrombosis, hypertension, polyarthritis of small joints, inflammation in the nerves themselves, lack of B vitamins. In the absence of any pathology, numbness in the hands can occur if selected pillow or non-physiological position of the body and, above all, hands, during sleep. Many people have the habit of sleeping with their arms thrown up or placed under their heads, which impedes blood circulation in the upper limbs.

How your hands go numb at night

Unpleasant sensations can be very diverse in their localization. It is very rare to encounter numbness in the entire arm. More often, any part of it goes numb, which completely depends on the cause of the disease:

1. Cervical osteochondrosis, spondylosis, hernia or protrusion of intervertebral discs cervical region spinal column, especially when pathological process localized in the lower cervical segments (C5-C7). Exactly from this part spinal cord the nerves going to the hands come out. At the same time, depending on the sufferer nerve root, numbness can be localized:

  • along the inner surface of the arm, from the shoulder to the tips of the 5th and half of the 4th fingers (C7);
  • on the back of the shoulder and forearm, the back of the 2nd and 3rd fingers (C6);
  • along the side of the arm to the big and index finger(C5).

With a common pathological process of the lower cervical region, the location of numbness may be different. Headache at cervical osteochondrosis- also not uncommon.

2. Carpal tunnel syndrome - compression of the nerves leading to the hand in a narrow canal formed by the bones of the wrist. Occurs during prolonged activity associated with the same type of load on the hands according to the type of flexion-extension movements (working at the computer, playing musical instruments, assembly of parts, conveyor). In this case, there is numbness of the entire hand or its parts strictly below the wrist, and sometimes numbness of the fingers is observed. The overlying parts of the hand are not involved in the pathological process.

3. Polyarthritis of small joints of the hand. Here it is typical to have manifestations only in the fingers.

4. In case of pathology of the shoulder or elbow joints, symptoms will occur in the underlying parts of the upper limb.

5. Diabetes mellitus and other metabolic disorders (liver disease, kidney disease, endocrine pathology). This also includes abuse of alcohol and nicotine, since the mechanism of development of the pathology is very similar. Numbness in this case has an “ascending” character, begins from more distant parts and gradually, over time, “rises” upward. This happens as larger vessels become involved. Usually two hands are affected at once, the sensations are symmetrical.

6. With hypertension, numbness of the hands at night appears only when the blood pressure level is elevated.

7. Numbness of the hands is of particular importance in case of heart disease. Here you should pay attention to which hand is going numb. If unpleasant sensations occur in the right hand, this can most likely be attributed to cervical osteochondrosis. But numbness in the left hand may be a sign serious problems with the heart, such as angina or. If numbness in your left arm occurs suddenly, especially at night, and does not go away within an hour, you should consult a doctor.

What to do if your hands go numb in your sleep

1. Try to eliminate all possible factors:

  • replace the pillow;
  • choose a more comfortable sleeping position, often changing position to prevent the blood vessels from being pinched;
  • Avoid alcohol and nicotine consumption, especially at night;
  • Do not engage in work that requires stress on your arms before going to bed.

2. Exercises for numbness in the hands at night:

  • without getting out of bed, lie on your back and stretch your arms up, bend and straighten your fingers 50 times, then put your arms along your body and repeat the exercise;
  • rotational movements in the wrists;
  • stand up and clasp your hands behind your back, try to raise them as high as possible;
  • in mild cases, just shake your hands.

3. You can relax tense neck muscles with light self-massage. before bed and during the day. It is enough to simply rub your neck with your palms, and you can use anti-inflammatory ointments (nise, fastum gel).

4. Folk remedies:

  • honey compress: spread honey on the numb areas of the hands in a thin layer, wrap and leave overnight, course of 7-10 procedures;
  • wild rosemary: 5 tbsp. crushed raw materials, pour 1 glass of apple cider vinegar, leave for a week and use for rubbing numb areas;
  • cup hot water Every morning on an empty stomach will help strengthen the walls of blood vessels.

Rest at night is necessary for the body to recover from physical and mental work during the day. Sleep duration is an indicator of psychological health. If a person’s sleep at night is deep and long, then his nerves are in perfect order.

Sometimes peace is interrupted because the sleeper's hand becomes numb. It hurts, aches, and is difficult to move. A generally accepted reason that causes numbness in the hands during sleep is poor circulation. Does this mean that the person is sick?

When is a doctor's help needed?

If your hands occasionally go numb in your sleep due to an uncomfortable position and pressure on the bloodstream, there is no need to worry. But when these unpleasant sensations bother you incessantly and disturb your sleep, you better rush to the clinic. Medical intervention is required if:

  • stable numbness of the hands during sleep (quickly passing and long-lasting);
  • numbness of body parts against the background of deteriorating vision, mental breakdowns.

Sometimes both arms or one limb go numb at once. Alternate numbness of the hands occurs with disorders of the nervous system and indicates the development of a disease of the cervical vertebrae.

If you go numb in a dream left hand, this indicates diseases of the heart and blood vessels. The development of the pathological process will negatively affect the functionality of other organs, so a consultation with a cardiologist is necessary to establish the nature of the disease. In case of a heart attack, micro-stroke, metabolic disorders in the body, acute vitamin deficiency (especially with a lack of vitamins A and B), it becomes numb top part left hand.

With heart disease it often goes numb right hand. The patient ceases to feel her hand due to arthrosis, cervical osteochondrosis, or carpal tunnel syndrome.

Causes of illness

Ignoring seemingly harmless symptoms leads to significant health problems. Therefore, this sign cannot be ignored. Why do my hands go numb in my sleep? Pathology is caused by:

This is not a complete list of diseases in which you may experience numbness in your hands. This symptom familiar to diabetics, hypertensive patients, heart patients, and alcoholics.

Numbness of the limbs is a faithful companion chronic diseases circulatory and nervous systems, immunodeficiency, autoimmune diseases, joint inflammation and many other pathological processes.

Why do my fingertips go numb?

It happens that a person ceases to feel some phalanges of the fingers. The little finger of the left hand becomes numb due to overexertion, which is caused by stiffening of the muscle tissue of the upper spine or left hand. X-ray results often show shifts in the vertebrae of the neck and lower back, causing compression of the nerves. With such symptoms, doctors diagnose osteochondrosis, which, without adequate therapy, transforms into intervertebral hernia. The little finger of the left hand may become numb due to heart problems. If you are concerned about such a symptom, you need to undergo a number of additional tests.

When your little fingers on both hands go numb, it means that the nerve receptors in the fingers are damaged due to pressure or overwork. If the thumbs are numb, doctors suspect atherosclerosis.

If you experience tingling pain in your left ring finger, this indicates a lesion nerve plexuses in case of injury or pinching (especially in athletes). Aching pain In the left ring finger and little finger at the same time, doctors explain it as heart pathology. It is urgent to undergo a full medical examination.

Loss of sensation in the first finger is associated with hemangioma and neurofibroma - neoplasms that compress nerve receptors. If your thumb paralyzed for more than half an hour, this is a clear sign of a pathological process, which without treatment will lead to the loss of his vitality.

Streakness of the second and third fingers means microstructural tissue damage due to dysfunction of the cervical muscles and intervertebral tissues. The pain often radiates to the shoulder and part elbow joint to the brush.

The phalanges of the middle fingers become numb due to mechanical damage to the nerve fibers in the event of a sprain, dislocation of the elbow area, or in case of carpal (carpal) tunnel syndrome.

If hand numbness recurs periodically, you should urgently see a therapist, neurologist and cardiologist. Perhaps this is a manifestation of severe pathologies that require immediate comprehensive hospital treatment.

First aid for numbness of fingertips

The sensitivity of the fingertips decreases due to the same diseases that cause hands to go numb at night: muscle spasms in the neck, diabetes, neurological diseases of the wrist, etc. But there are other factors influencing this process:

The causes and treatment of these ailments are known only to doctors. To make an accurate diagnosis, you need to contact a specialized clinic. However, why not give yourself first aid and try to restore blood flow? To do this you need to do gymnastics:

  • Stretch your arms up as high as possible, shake your hands in the air and return to the starting position.
  • Raise your straight arms to chest level, relax your hands and draw a circle with them. Repeat the movement in the opposite direction.
  • In the same position, clench your hands tightly into fists and continue to rotate them clockwise and counterclockwise.
  • Sit on a chair, straighten your back. Smoothly develop the cervical vertebrae, moving your head from left to right, then from bottom to top. Avoid sudden movements.
  • Cross your arms over your chest so that right palm touched the outside of my left hand. Rub it. Repeat the same with the other hand.
  • Without changing position, massage the limbs, pressing lightly on them with your fingertips.

Each exercise must be performed 10-12 times. If you do not feel the effect immediately, repeat the entire complex again after a few hours. It is useful to do gymnastics before going to bed.

Diagnosis and treatment

For effective therapy It’s important to figure out why your hands go numb at night. A vertebroneurologist (a doctor specializing in diseases of the spine) must exclude mechanical damage blood vessels, household and professional injuries that could provoke pain. The doctor must also make sure that cerebral circulation not violated, and prevent pathology.

To form clinical picture Mandatory studies will be:

  • X-ray of the cervical area. Pictures need to be taken in several projections to determine the area of ​​pinched bloodstreams and nerve receptors.
  • Dopplerography - examination of the vessels of the neck will allow you to find out the direction, speed of blood flow and possible disturbances in the functioning of the blood vessels.
  • MR angiography is a method of obtaining images of the structure and functional changes of blood vessels using a tomograph.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a study of cervical tissue using a magnetic field and radiofrequency pulses.
  • Electroencephalography (EEG) is the study of the state of the brain by recording its biorhythms.
  • Echoencephalography (Echo-EG) is a method of determining damage to tissues, skull bones and gray matter of the brain using ultrasound.

By excluding nervous diseases, you can begin to diagnose numbness of the phalanges. Since most often the fingers lose sensitivity at night due to deformation of the nerve receptors of the cervical vertebrae, the point of therapy is to relieve symptoms and full recovery blood circulation Classic treatment regimen:

If your hands go numb at night, a doctor will determine the reasons for this phenomenon. This is a serious symptom that should not be ignored. Timely treatment will help get rid of numbness in the hands and stop the development of severe pathologies.

Hello, dear blog readers! Our senses are most active during the day, we are unable to see in the dark, and our skin needs daylight to make it easier for the body to produce vitamins, so the question: “Is it harmful to not sleep at night?”, I think, is rhetorical. Therefore, let's look together at all the dangers that insomnia or nocturnal lifestyle leads to.

Effect of melatonin

I have already told you that if he is still not sleeping at 2 am, this can eventually lead to depression and loss of the “taste of life”. This is due to the fact that it is at this time that our body produces melatonin, a hormone that regulates our sleep. That is, if there is a deficiency of it, and people who lead a nocturnal lifestyle have a significant deficiency, it is likely that insomnia, nightmares will occur, and the sleep itself will be superficial, during which the body’s resources will not be replenished.

Have you noticed that after a sleepless night it takes several days to recover? Go ahead. During deep, full sleep, our nervous system, the brain processes the information received during the day, and the functioning of all organs and systems of our body also normalizes. What happens if you disrupt your natural biorhythm? You will simply deprive yourself of the opportunity to lead a healthy, active life and feel young and vigorous. Melatonin generally plays almost the main role in our body, since:

  • Regulates the activity of the thyroid gland;
  • Has a stimulating effect in the sexual sphere;
  • Suspends the aging process;
  • Regulates blood pressure, brain cell function, and digestion;
  • Helps to adapt when changing time zones;
  • Has antioxidant properties.

Research

Scientists, in order to avoid death, did not complete the experiment, so they did not give a clear answer to how long a person can go without sleep, if only because they could not exclude such breaks for the brain during the experiment as superficial short-term sleep.

On the first day, the subjects felt lethargic; on the second, they became distracted and aggressive. On the third day, hallucinations began to appear, and on the fourth, they looked incredibly exhausted and exhausted.

The maximum period without proper rest was 5 days, then the experiments were stopped due to the threat of death, since brain cells begin to die on the third day.

Consequences


It is believed that if a person cannot fall asleep on time at least three times a week, this indicates the presence of insomnia. And if you sleep for less than 6 hours, or with interruptions, for example, in connection with work, where there is a shift schedule, then chronic lack of sleep may well develop. This state is equivalent to what a person feels if he has not slept for two days, that is, lethargy and aggressiveness. And if you read my article with the goal of becoming kinder and gentler, maybe it’s not a matter of character, but you just need to rest more?

Do you know how much sleep a person should sleep? On average, from 6 to 8 hours, there are cases when 5 hours is enough, but such people are very rare.

So, the consequences of not following a sleep schedule :

  • Immunity decreases, and as a result, there is a risk of various infections that lymphocytes cannot fight back.
  • Stress resistance is at a minimum, so not only the body will suffer, but also relationships with loved ones and at work. Irritable people tend to be shunned, which is a significant obstacle to achieving your goals.
  • The risk of cancer is growing.
  • Metabolism is disrupted, so people who have lack of sleep or insomnia are more prone to obesity.
  • There is a possibility of developing a disease such as diabetes.
  • Due to the lack of normal amounts of melatonin, hypertension occurs, that is, blood pressure increases.
  • Problems with blood vessels and the heart arise, and the risk of stroke or cardiac arrest increases significantly.
  • Impotence or decreased arousal.
  • Due to the impact on the psyche and the development of depression, suicidal tendencies may well appear.
  • A person ages prematurely because his skin becomes sluggish, as does his health. Hair may become dull, sometimes even begin to fall out, and eyes will become watery and red.
  • Due to an increase in cortisol, which is a stress hormone, the renewal of brain cells is suspended.

Among other consequences, there is a huge risk of getting into an accident because the state of sleep deprivation is very similar to the state caused by alcohol.

Do you wake up at the same time at night and are already tired of wondering what is happening to your body?

Then it's time to find out. IN Chinese medicine There is a kind of biological clock in our body that will help determine which organ problems keep you from sleeping or which emotions wake you up in the middle of the night.

Our body's energy clock looks like this.

Here's what they mean.

1. It is difficult for you to fall asleep between 21.00 and 23.00

At this time they are active blood vessels. If you have difficulty falling asleep at this time, then you may have problems with the immune system, adrenal glands and thyroid gland. Psychological factors that complicate sleep at this time are stress, discord in thoughts and preoccupation with oneself.

2. You wake up from 23.00 to 1.00

Active at this time gallbladder. This organ is responsible for processing the fats you consume throughout the day. If you wake up at this time, then you need to include more proper, healthy fats in your diet. If you judge yourself or others for something, then you may also have problems sleeping during this period.

3. You wake up from 1.00 to 3.00

Liver activity time. If sleep is disrupted during this period, then you are putting too much stress on this important organ. It's time to reduce your alcohol consumption and reconsider your diet to avoid problems. Anger, anger and guilt also interfere with sleep at this time.

4. You wake up between 3:00 and 5:00

At this time, the lungs accumulate oxygen to transfer it to the rest of the body. During these same hours, people feel sadness, sadness, and grief. If you wake up, then there is a clear sign of depression. To improve the situation, you need to switch to healthy eating and breathe more clean air.

5. You wake up between 5:00 and 7:00

The large intestine is activated, so it is not unusual for you to wake up, as this is when you may have the urge to go to the toilet. To remove the problem, drink more water. Emotionally, you are hampered by the hopeless situation in which you find yourself, or by your impatient anticipation of progress in life.

Now that you know where the problem or problem is hidden, you can start working to eradicate it and improve your sleep. Sleep well and be healthy!

What is called numbness of the hand at night? Many people are familiar with that unpleasant feeling when you wake up at night from pain in your arm, you begin to move your fingers, hand, and an intense tingling sensation appears, which eventually passes, but leaves behind an uncomfortable sensation in the upper limb - this is what is called numbness.

Doctors call the main cause of this condition poor circulation in the upper extremities, but there are several factors that can cause numbness in the hands at night.

An incorrectly selected pillow is the most common cause of numbness in the hands at night. Usually people prefer large pillows - they can sleep softly, and you can put one under your head while watching TV or reading a book. But it is precisely the large pillow that promotes strong arching of the cervical vertebrae, which disrupts the blood supply to the nerves located in the cervical spine. But they are the ones who are “responsible” for the normal functioning of the upper limbs.

Correcting the situation and getting rid of numbness in your hands at night is quite simple - you just need to change the pillow. It is advisable to purchase either a small pillow or a special orthopedic one. What are the advantages of orthopedic pillows:

  • under the sleeping person’s neck there is a cushion that holds the cervical vertebrae in a normal position;
  • behind the cushion there is a small depression - the head in this position does not provoke unnecessary tension in the spinal column and in general in the entire body;
  • an orthopedic pillow ensures the normal functioning of the body’s blood supply system, including the upper extremities.

As soon as the pillow is changed, the problems of numbness in the hands at night will disappear.

Even if the sleeping pillow is chosen correctly, your hands may go numb at night due to the wrong sleeping position. First of all, this applies to those who like to rest at night with their hands thrown back behind their heads - nerves and blood vessels are pinched, which provokes poor circulation in the upper extremities. Another nuance - some people like to sleep on their side, while raising one arm up and throwing it behind their head. This position also provokes insufficient blood supply to the nerves of the cervical spinal column, which leads to numbness of the hand.

What needs to be done in this case: you need to accustom your body to sleep in a different position - your hands will not go numb at night if a person sleeps on his back with his arms extended along his body, on his side with his hands under his face, on his stomach. As soon as your sleeping position is changed, your hands will immediately stop going numb.

It is also worth knowing that uncomfortable clothes - tight, with pronounced seams, with tight cuffs - can lead to numbness of the hands during a night's rest. For the same reason, doctors strongly recommend taking off your watches and decorative bracelets at night.

What diseases can lead to numbness in the hands at night?

If the pillow is chosen correctly, pajamas do not restrict the body and the posture during sleep is correct, but your hands still go numb at night, then you should contact a specialist and go through full examination– often the cause of this condition is illness.

Possible causes of hand numbness at night:

  1. Carpal tunnel syndrome (carpal tunnel syndrome). What happens: The median nerve is compressed between the tendons of the muscles and the bones of the wrist, and the result is numbness in the fingers, accompanied by intense pain. Most often, carpal tunnel syndrome is diagnosed in people whose professional activities involve regular/constant flexion/extension of the wrist (for example, artists, violinists).

  1. Osteochondrosis. Hands may go numb at night due to osteochondrosis, if this pathological process is localized in the cervical spine. Moreover, the mechanism for the development of the problem is identical to that which occurs when resting on a large pillow or in an incorrect position: the roots of the nerve endings are pinched and are practically not supplied with blood, which leads to impaired functionality of the spinal roots. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is easily recognized by the presence of a crunch in the neck when turning the head, neck pain and periodic headaches of unknown etiology.
  2. Chronic circulatory disorders. This condition can develop against the background of many diseases - for example, hypertonic disease, ischemic disease heart disease, diabetes mellitus, anemia and others. How to explain the mechanism of development of the state under consideration in this case? With an increased content of glucose in the blood, destruction and pathological changes in the structure of the walls of blood vessels occur, which leads to disruption of the blood supply. But with heart disease, the pumping function of the main organ suffers - the blood no longer fully fills the vessels.

In addition, hands may go numb at night due to hypovitaminosis (lack of