Hands Go Numb During Sleep in Pregnancy

Pregnancy introduces its own adjustments into the usual pace of life. Sometimes, a woman’s body acts unexpectedly and shows symptoms that have never occurred before. This arouses interest and causes concern. One such symptom is that hands become numb during sleep in pregnancy. Let’s look into this matter and understand whether the symptom is dangerous and how to alleviate it.

Causes and symptoms of hand numbness during pregnancy 

Do your hands go numb during sleep while pregnant? The most common reason is impaired blood circulation. Nerve impulses send a signal about lack of blood and keep the limbs by minimizing possible movements. However, during pregnancy, a few more reasons are added to the characteristic cause:

1. Hormonal changes in the body.

A woman’s body receives a powerful surge of hormones, which on one hand makes carrying a fetus possible, but on the other hand introduces adjustments to well-being, processes occurring in the body, appearance, mood, etc. Hormones can also be a reason why hands go numb during sleep while pregnant.

2. Severe swelling.

Few women can avoid swelling during pregnancy, leading to hand numbness during sleep due to swelling. Water accumulation increases pressure on the vessels, complicating blood circulation.

3. Weight gain.

Another common reason for hands falling asleep during pregnancy is known to all moms: it’s important to monitor your weight throughout the entire pregnancy. This is not so much an aesthetic issue as it is a health concern. The body’s load is already increased, and with any degree of obesity, the blood vessels reduce their ability to conduct blood properly. 

4. Carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is characterized by compression of the median nerve. Because of this, nerve conductivity is disrupted, and you may feel your hands falling asleep during pregnancy, particularly the fingers and wrists. Along with numbness comes a burning sensation, tingling, redness, and swelling.

5. Vitamin deficiency.

A frequent cause is also iron deficiency. It is one of the main trace elements that mothers need to replenish from the first days of pregnancy. Its deficiency is characterized by weakness, fatigue, and reduced hemoglobin. This leads to numbness of the hands during sleep while pregnant.

Less commonly, osteochondrosis and chronic pathologies of various types can be added to the causes. Conversely, there’s an obvious reason — you sleep in an uncomfortable position, causing the tissues to not receive enough blood. Therefore, if hand numbness has occurred for the first time, there’s no need to panic. Consult a gynecologist about this issue if possible, and most importantly — monitor the progression of symptoms.

The Risks of Hand Numbness and Possible Consequences

The fact that hands go numb during sleep in pregnancy itself is not dangerous. It’s an uncomfortable symptom that can be accompanied by a mild tingling sensation or quite noticeable pain. However, what lies behind this symptom can bring serious consequences.

We already mentioned above that if hands go numb during sleep in pregnancy once or occasionally, you shouldn’t worry, as it might happen due to an incorrect sleeping position. Constant and periodic pains may indicate the presence of a condition that needs treatment.

Ignoring the numbness of the hand during sleep in pregnancy, you risk aggravating a certain condition, which could lead to complications during the pregnancy, negatively affect the child, or have a negative impact on the childbirth process.

Numbness Prevention

If your hands fall asleep at night during pregnancy, preventive measures can help. Moreover, these recommendations are generally beneficial for pregnant women. By making some changes to your usual diet and lifestyle, you can achieve significant results in regulating your health. 

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1. Nutrition.

First and foremost, you need to eliminate spicy and salty foods from your diet. It is also advisable to completely give up sausages and canned goods. Conversely, other products should be included in the diet:

• Protein products. They serve as building materials for the circulatory system and muscles, improve cell functionality. In addition, protein is essential for the baby’s proper development.
• Calcium-rich foods. Despite the benefits of dairy products, ensure that what you consume is genuinely made from milk. Also, monitor your body’s reaction. It should be comfortable digesting glucose.
• Your diet should also consistently include foods rich in magnesium and potassium.

2. Drinks.

It’s important not only what you eat but also what you drink. The diet should exclusively include purified mineral water and herbal teas. Everything else should be left “for later.” Meanwhile, it’s important to maintain water balance. Drink the right amount of liquid calculated according to your individual needs. 

3. Physical activity.

The numbness in hands during sleep in pregnancy may be caused by physical exertion. Both excess and lack of it can negatively impact you. Therefore, you need to completely refrain from carrying heavy items, bags on one shoulder, and minimize the time spent sitting. What should you do?

• Wear a supportive bandage.
• Take walks outdoors more often.
• Do pregnancy exercises before bed, attend yoga or swimming classes.

4. Additional tips on preventing hand numbness during sleep in pregnancy.

Also, incorporate some healthy habits into your life that will help alleviate unpleasant symptoms during pregnancy:

• Completely avoid uncomfortable clothing that constricts. Of course, pregnancy is not a reason to look untidy, but during this delicate period, your comfort and the baby’s health are paramount.
• If your hands go numb while sleeping during pregnancy, choose an orthopedic mattress and pillow that are comfortable for you, and purchase a special pregnancy pillow (especially in the later stages).
• Try to avoid hypothermia.
• Attend massages.

But, the most important advice if your hands go numb while sleeping during pregnancy is to consult a doctor. The hand numbness might just be discomfort that will accompany you throughout a trimester, or even the entire pregnancy. Or it might be a signal from your body about a disease that needs to be treated starting today.

Folk remedies for combating numbness 

To speed up the process of getting rid of the unpleasant symptom, or to relieve it “here and now,” you can supplement the doctor’s recommendations with folk methods. However, it should be remembered that this is only an auxiliary part of treatment. Folk medicine offers safe and effective methods to alleviate hand numbness during sleep in pregnancy, but with persistent numbness, it’s important to identify and eliminate the cause.

Cucumber Tincture

The tincture helps alleviate numbness syndrome and eliminate unpleasant manifestations. Its downside is the long preparation time. The tincture takes 10 days to prepare. You need to chop several pickled cucumbers and a couple of red pepper pods. All this is poured with vodka and stored in a glass container for 10 days. Infusion should take place in a cold place, so it’s worth placing the jar in the refrigerator. After the time has passed, use the tincture to rub your hands before bed. 

Milk Baths

If your hands go numb during sleep while pregnant, a pleasant and effective treatment is milk baths. For this, take about a liter of milk, an equal amount of water, 50 grams of honey, and 400 grams of salt. Mix everything in a saucepan and let it simmer over low heat for half an hour. Once the mixture has cooled, soak your hands in it for 15 minutes. The full course consists of 14 sessions before bed.

Pumpkin Puree Wraps

Pumpkin can also help prevent nighttime numbness. To do this, apply cooked pumpkin porridge to your hands in a thick layer, and put on cellophane gloves. You should do this for half an hour before bed. After half an hour, wash your hands in warm running water.

Lemon and Garlic Tincture

In four days, you can prepare an effective non-alcoholic tincture for internal use. Lemon zest + an equal portion of garlic are poured over with half a liter of water, and left for 4 days. Then, it is necessary to drink 50 ml of the tincture before bedtime.

Camphor Ointment for the Morning

If your hands go numb during sleep in pregnancy, and you feel unpleasant side effects like tingling or redness in the morning, take camphor ointment and eucalyptus essential oil, and rub them well into your hands with gentle massage movements.

Contrast Hand Shower

An urgent and simple method to relieve symptoms when hands go numb during sleep in pregnancy is a contrast hand shower. Just hold your hands under hot-cold-hot water. However, remember the ongoing pregnancy, which affects allowable temperatures. Along with this, the effectiveness of the method may decrease.

Copper Bracelets

Evidence-based medicine also recommends using copper bracelets. By wearing them overnight on your wrists, you may relieve numbness on the very first night. How effective this is during pregnancy-related numbness in hands is not studied, but this method is harmless, so you can try this folk wisdom for yourself. 

Drawing Conclusions

In summary, it is important to remember that such an unpleasant but seemingly unimportant symptom is a reason to consult a doctor, especially during pregnancy. It is also important to remember that folk medicine is most effective when combined with conventional medicine. If you experience numbness in your hands during sleep while pregnant, follow your doctor’s recommendations, take prescribed medications, and complement them with your favorite traditional method. Stay healthy!