Waking Up with Numb or Tingling Hands: What It Really Means (Science Based)

Other reasons for tingling hands in the morning
According to doctors from the National Health Service, other reasons why you may wake up with pins & needles in the morning can include:

Raynaud’s disease. An autoimmune condition that is characterized by white tips of your fingers and a tingling sensation in your palms and fingertips.
Medication. Tingling hands in the morning or during the day is sometimes a side effect of antibiotics and anti-seizure drugs.
Nerve damage. Apart from pressed nerves in your upper arm causing your hands to tingle at different times of the day, an injury can damage nerves and cause acute or chronic hand tingling.
Toxic substances. Heavy metals like lead, mercury, and certain chemotherapy drugs can cause your hands to feel tingly and numb.
Infections. For example, Lyme disease can cause a painful sensation of pins and needles in the hands and feet. These symptoms can appear years after the initial infection.16
What to Do If You Wake Up with Pins and Needles in Your Hands
If you have tingling or numb hands in the morning, there are a few steps you can take to restore feeling to your digits, palms, and hands. For example, Dr. Friedhelm Sandbrink says that many people find that shaking their hands first thing in the morning can help to relieve tingling that is caused by nerve issues.17

How to “wake up” an arm that has fallen asleep:

Free your arm from whatever was pressing on it.
Gently flick or shake your hands for 5 seconds to help improve circulation to your hands.
Stretch your arms in front of you and slowly bring them both up above your head to try and touch the ceiling. Hold for 5 seconds.
Loosen the nerves in your neck by gently moving your head from side to side as if you are trying to touch your shoulders with your ears.
Roll your shoulders up and down and back and forward to help release tension in the nerves in your shoulder blade.
Repeat every morning to help relieve the sensation of having numb or tingling hands in the morning.
How to Prevent Waking Up with Numb or Tingling Hands
If you find that you wake most mornings with tingling fingers or palms, you may need to take some preventative measures to stop the hand pain.

Here is what you can do to help avoid numb or tingling hands in the morning: