Why You Have Numb Fingers While Sleeping
It`s abnormal, but not uncommon. Having numb fingers while sleeping affects nearly everybody at least some time in their life. But if it happens night after night for a long time, it`s something you should address.
Numbness, especially at the fingertips, could be a minor problem or it could signal there`s a more serious condition underlying the problem. Here are the possibilities.
Finger numbness is an abnormal sensation. It`s s sign that one or more of the nerves in your hand are (or are being) injured. The numbness is your body`s way of saying, "Help -- this nerve is getting hurt!"
Those 2 main nerves in your hand that can cause finger numbness are the median nerve and ulnar nerves. They travel down the arm, through the wrist, and into the fingertips. (See illustration below.)
The sensation of numbness is known as paresthesia. It`s usually accompanied by sensations that patients describe as prickling (pins-and-needles), burning or tingling. Some times it`s milder, causing feelings of skin crawling or itching. But it`s almost always painless.
If you feel numb fingers chronically (night after night) then it might be a sign of disease or trauma. But it can also be a sign that you`re sleeping in a bad position.
There are several reasons why you can feel numb fingers while sleeping night after night. These reasons are given in order from the most to least common:
- Sleeping in a bad position
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Cubital tunnel syndrome
- Peripheral neuropathy (diabetes and alcohol abuse)
- Cervical Spondylosis
- Raynaud`s disease
- Vascular diseases
- Stroke
- Multiple sclerosis
- Medication Side Effects (Chemotherapy)
- Vitamin B12 Deficiency
If you sleep while cradling your head (palm up) then you can crush either the median or ulnar nerves directly.
This is usually most pronounced if your head exerts pressure on your wrist joint instead of your hand.
2. Sleeping with one or both hands bent.
Bending you hand forward or backward pinches structures inside the wrist joint. The median and ulnar nerves deep within the joint easily suffer such pinching.Most people unconsciously bend their hands either forward or backward while sleeping. But they usually don’t do it for a long time. If the bending is prolonged, then the nerves are vulnerable to pinching.
The photo shows a woman with her hands bent while asleep. Her left hand is over-flexed and her right hand is over-extended. Both positions can pinch the nerves.Having numb hands upon waking can happen by sleeping in any of the positions shown at the left. Note where the elbow is in each sleeping position, indicating a potential nerve crush.
For example, sleeping on your back with one or both hands over your chest can force those elbows against the mattress. That pressure can crush your elbow (and ulnar nerve). The result will be pinky-side numbness in the morning.Similar crushing can happen if you sleep on your stomach with your arm beneath you. Again, the ulnar nerve at the elbow can be affected.
Other ways to crush your elbow while asleep includes pushing it against a headboard or nightstand.Do you still have numb hands upon waking but didn`t crush your median or ulnar nerves? If so, it means something else is happening.
More than likely, you`re feeling the numbness on the thumb-side of your hand. (Recall, this indicates a problem with your median nerve.)
When this occurs, the usual suspect is that you`re experiencing the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome. This condition occurs in about 1 in 20 people in the USA. So it`s a good guess this is what`s causing your numb hands upon waking.
Numb hands or fingers are just one early warning sign of carpal tunnel syndrome. The other signs include:
- pain
- tingling (or prickling or pins & needles)
- burning
- puffy feeling
- shooting electric shocks
- hand weakness
- hand or finger clumsiness
This is the easy fix. If you have numb hands upon waking due to median nerve or ulnar nerve compression, it`s relatively to eliminate the problem.
It`s not a simple thing to "change your sleeping position". As soon as your eyes close, you`ll be back in your usual contortion. Therefore, you have to either train your body to sleep in a position that will avoid damage to your median or ulnar nerves. Or else you`ll need to protect your wrist and elbows.
The best and most long-lasting solution to having numb hands upon waking is to try to change your sleeping position.
But be mindful that "deciding" to change position won`t work. (As soon as your eyes close, you`ll be back in your usual contortion.) Therefore, use physical measures to avoid damage to your median or ulnar nerves.
For example, a good temporary measure is to use a restraint. This can be a rope to loosely hold your hands to your sides. The rope restraint works well. But it`s uncomfortable until you become accustomed to it.
Other people use the "tennis ball method". This means putting a tennis ball in a pocket on the side of your body you don`t want to sleep on.
You can also use a high tech method. Sleep position trainers are available which are essentially electronic monitors. Basically, they mildly zap you when you`re in an incorrect position.
This is perhaps the most popular solution to having numb hands upon waking up in the morning. A simple night brace will keep your wrist in the neutral position (meaning "straight"). This way, you won`t over-bend your wrist.
There are a variety of elbow protectors available. Wearing one can protect your ulnar nerve from being crushed in a potentially harmful sleeping position.
This is a more challenging fix. When you have a numb hand on the thumb side, and it`s NOT due to sleeping improperly, it means you probably have carpal tunnel syndrome.
Are you at high risk for this condition? See below.
Almost anybody can develop carpal tunnel syndrome. But there are particular high risk conditions and occupations that increase your probability of getting this disorder.
| Family history of carpal tunnel | Commercial drivers |
| Pregnancy | Musicians |
| Being female | Housekeepers |
| Being obese | Fine artists |
| Being over 70 | Hair stylists |
| Having small body frame | Transcriptionists |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | Dental hygienists |
| Emotional stress | Horse riders & trainers |
| Hypothyroidism | Assembly line workers |
| Fibromyalgia | Farmers |
| Lyme disease | Knitters & sewers |
| Graphic designers | |
| Radiologists |
If your numbness is due to carpal tunnel syndrome, don`t despair. There are multiple ways to treat it without the need for surgery.
The most widely used non-surgical method to treat carpal tunnel syndrome focuses on healing your median nerve. The method is actually a combination of 4 distinct treatments:
- Night bracing
- Rest & avoidance
- Stretching exercises
- Myofascial massage
There are particular ways to perform each one of these treatments. Learn more about them here.
Having numb hands upon waking up in the morning is usually due to problems in the way you sleep. In particular, certain sleeping positions can compress or crush the nerves in your hand. That crushing can lead to temporary nerve damage - and therefore numbness. Using specific methods to avoid the nerve crushing will relieve the numbness.