What causes numbness in the arms during sleep?

Sep 07, 2022 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Yang Jun

Introduction

Numbness in the arm during sleep may be caused by incorrect sleeping posture or cervical spondylosis. If weight loss, or a busy work and lifestyle leads to inadequate nutritional intake resulting in hypoglycemia, blood flow may slow down to some extent during sleep. This could lead to electrolyte imbalance, causing hypoxia and ischemia, which may trigger arm numbness during sleep.

Arm numbness during sleep may be caused by incorrect sleeping posture, cervical spondylosis, hypoglycemia, or other reasons.

1. Incorrect sleeping posture

If a person maintains an improper sleeping position—such as staying in one position for a prolonged period—it may compress nerves in the shoulder or arm area, leading to insufficient blood supply to peripheral nerves and resulting in arm numbness. However, this condition usually improves once the sleeping posture is corrected.

2. Cervical spondylosis

When suffering from cervical spine conditions such as cervical disc herniation, the protruding disc may compress nerves during sleep, causing numbness in the arms, pain in the fingers, head, neck, and arm numbness.

3. Hypoglycemia

If inadequate nutrition intake—due to dieting or a busy work and lifestyle—leads to hypoglycemia, the body's blood flow may slow down during sleep. This can result in electrolyte imbalances, as well as oxygen and blood deficiency, which may trigger arm numbness during sleep.

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What does numbness in both arms during sleep indicate?

Signs of numbness in both arms during sleep: 1. Radial nerve injury: This may occur due to sleeping with the head resting on the arm or prolonged wearing of watches, potentially causing arm numbness during sleep. 2. Cervical spondylosis: Caused by excessive neck movement or long-term poor posture, this condition may lead to numbness in both arms during sleep. 3. Cerebral arteriosclerosis: Resulting from endocrine disorders, hypertension, and other factors.

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What causes numbness in the arm during sleep?

In general, numbness in the arms and hands during sleep may be caused by cold exposure, improper sleeping posture, cervical spondylosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, cerebral infarction, etc. It is recommended to seek medical attention promptly to determine the underlying cause and receive appropriate treatment. If insufficient warmth is maintained during sleep, leading to cold arms, it may result in poor blood circulation, causing the aforementioned symptoms, possibly accompanied by feelings of coldness and shivering.