Arms Falling Asleep

[madizzle83]

For the past two years, I have been waking up (1-5 times a week) in the middle of the night to find either one or both of my arms, from shoulder down) completely numb. I am pretty sure I've narrowed it down to my sleeping habit of body facing bed with arms under pillows where my head rests.

This mostly happens during my arm days but also frequently happens randomly.
It would be very hard to learn to switch sleeping positions for me, because I have tried very hard, but once I fall asleep, I wake up finding myself in the old position...

I figure I'm either doing the following:

-Pinching nerves
-Cutting off circulation

My main concern is that this may be harmful to my body. If so, is there any way to stop or slow down the symptoms without changing my workout routine or sleeping habits?

(P.S. Sorry for long explanation)

[madizzle83]

bump ?

[tallguy50]

between your first rib, (the top one) and your collar bone is a bundel of nerves arteries and veins. When you lift your arm up and over your head and back the shoulder rotates the collar bone closer to the rib and there you go, presure on the nerves and veins. Do that long enogh and your arm goes numb. You probley should avoid it. If your elbows point towards your hips the thorasic outlet is wide open and blood will flow. Also try not to let your shoulders drop too much when your standing and lifting cause you'll squeez the collar bone to the rib and irritate the nerves making you hurt under your shoulder blades wich makes you want to sleep with your arms up to relive tension on the muscels under your shouler blades. The bundel of nerves arterys and veins I was talking about goes to your arms, hands and under the shoulder blade area.

[Notorious BIG]

Originally Posted by tallguy50

between your first rib, (the top one) and your collar bone is a bundel of nerves arteries and veins. When you lift your arm up and over your head and back the shoulder rotates the collar bone closer to the rib and there you go, presure on the nerves and veins. Do that long enogh and your arm goes numb. You probley should avoid it. If your elbows point towards your hips the thorasic outlet is wide open and blood will flow. Also try not to let your shoulders drop too much when your standing and lifting cause you'll squeez the collar bone to the rib and irritate the nerves making you hurt under your shoulder blades wich makes you want to sleep with your arms up to relive tension on the muscels under your shouler blades. The bundel of nerves arterys and veins I was talking about goes to your arms, hands and under the shoulder blade area.

I was going to simply say change your sleeping habits but well done... you explain it all in great detail.

[terribletriad]

One trick you might try is when you have your arm under your pillow is to rotate it a slightly different way. Instead of your hand being 'up', try rotating your arm so your hand is facing 'down'. It may or maynot help.

This is a common problem for a lot of side sleepers. One thing that ELIMINATED it for me was switching to a foam mattress instead of the conventional spring mattress. The downside to it is that they are about double the cost.

If neither of these work or aren't an option, you really have no choice other than to 're-learn' a new sleepping habit.

[ben3133]

For the first time in the history of this subforum, I agree with someone who has suggested the problem is a thoracic outlet syndrome. It may be worth seeing a physiotherapist (initially) for them to evaluate if some of your muscles are too tight (eg. scalenes), causing the TOS. If this was not the case, I would be requesting an X-ray from my GP to check for a cervical rib.

[steve weiser]

This happens to me all the time, and has ever since i was a little kid. I'm pretty sure it's normal and just your arm going to sleep and nothing to worry about. Just today i woke up with my left arm dead ( i'm a side sleeper) it was at the point where i couldn't move it and had to use my other arm to shake it awake lol i hate that!

[roll4life713]

Originally Posted by steve weiser

This happens to me all the time, and has ever since i was a little kid. I'm pretty sure it's normal and just your arm going to sleep and nothing to worry about. Just today i woke up with my left arm dead ( i'm a side sleeper) it was at the point where i couldn't move it and had to use my other arm to shake it awake lol i hate that!

haha dude same here..id be sleepin on my side, wake up and notice my arm is completely dead and couldnt feel it..had to move it with my other arm..i freaked out the first time..crazy ****

[Itis1760]

Originally Posted by roll4life713

haha dude same here..id be sleepin on my side, wake up and notice my arm is completely dead and couldnt feel it..had to move it with my other arm..i freaked out the first time..crazy ****

x3 im a side sleeper also and have been freaked out when trying to use my "dead" arm to support me to get up...gives out and i just fell over..lol

[roll4life713]

Originally Posted by Itis1760

x3 im a side sleeper also and have been freaked out when trying to use my "dead" arm to support me to get up...gives out and i just fell over..lol

LOL i could see that happening to me.i remmeber tryin to lift it with my other arm n it would jus fall back down

[Nick100m]

I have been starting to have the same problem! When I sleep, I bend my arms in half so my bicep is flexed into my forearm which I think cuts of blood flow. I have only started having this problem ever since I put on weight and my biceps starting getting bigger. I wake up every night having to change positions. I am not sure what to do.

[theplasticsman]

Ive woke up and accidently touched my face with my dead arm and hand and freaked out thinkin someone touched me! Super weird!