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Published on: 4/28/2025

What Could Cause the Whole Body to Go Numb While Sleeping?

Whole-body numbness during sleep may happen from temporary nerve issues caused by poor circulation, sleep paralysis, or even sleep-related conditions like nocturnal panic attacks or epilepsy.

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Explanation

When you wake up and feel your whole body is numb, it can be due to a few different reasons. One cause might be poor circulation or nerve compression from the way you’re sleeping. Sometimes, if you rest your head or body in one position for too long, pressure on your nerves can create numbness. Another possibility is that a sleep disorder is at work. For example, some people experience sleep paralysis—a temporary period when your body is unable to move, which can feel like numbness. There are also conditions where abnormal brain activity during sleep, like in sleep-related epilepsy or nocturnal panic attacks, might lead to sensations of numbness when you wake. Additionally, if you have a condition like diabetic peripheral neuropathy, the nerves in your body may not send the right signals, and you could notice numbness more during sleep when distractions are less. Overall, these different causes mean that feeling numb all over while sleeping can stem from both temporary posture issues and sleep disorders, and discussing these experiences with a healthcare provider can help find the right explanation.

(References)

  • Bodman MA, Dreyer MA, Varacallo MA. Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy. [Updated 2024 Feb 25]. In: StatPearls [Internet].

  • Park JY, Kang S, Choi GS, Choi H, Hwang I. Awakening from Sleep with Numbness and Indescribable Odd Feeling: Nocturnal Panic Attack or Sleep-Related Epilepsy? Brain Sci. 2021 Jan 21;11(2):137. doi: 10.3390/brainsci11020137. PMID: 33494550; PMCID: PMC7911585.

  • Farooq M, Anjum F. Sleep Paralysis. [Updated 2023 Sep 4]. In: StatPearls [Internet].

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