Waking up with numb or tingling hands in the morning is a common experience for many people. In most cases, sleeping on one hand can press on nerves in your hand, causing a sensation of “pins and needles.” In some cases, you may even find that your hands are completely numb after sleeping. Usually, when you change position, sensation quickly returns to your hands and the tingling disappears.

If you frequently have numb or tingling fingers or stiff hands in the morning, there could be another underlying cause. Nerve damage, carpal tunnel syndrome, autoimmune conditions, or diabetes can cause chronic numbness in the hands. This can mean that you don’t just wake up with tingling hands, but the prickly sensation may continue throughout the day.

In this article, you will find the reasons why you could be waking up with numb and tingling hands in the morning. In some cases, you will find some helpful tips on what to do if your hand falls asleep at night.

Why Do My Hands Feel Tingly and Numb When I Wake Up?

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health say that the medical name for a tingling sensation in the limbs is paresthesia. The prickly sensation in your hands usually happens when there is sustained pressure on the nerves in your arms and hands. For example, falling asleep with your head on your arm will cause you to wake up with pins and needles in your arm and hand.

It seems that our arms or hands are especially susceptible to developing “pins and needles” sensations during the night.

Professor of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Brandon J. Wilhelmi, says that the hands contain a complex