I've done that before, bit confusing when it happened.
Apparently the reason you toss and turn every so often is to ensure you don't cut off the circulation for too long. I saw it on the bbc sometime.
ever woke up with a dead arm because you slept on it?
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Apparently the reason you toss and turn every so often is to ensure you don't cut off the circulation for too long. I saw it on the bbc sometime.
I get this occasionally, its when the feeling starts to return I dread the most, as it bloody kills, coupled with nasty pins and needles
Rub the affected area. It will hurt more but for much less time.
Soldato
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My whole body does it sometimes, Well It comes from the base of my spine, used to freak my girlfriend out, because it would be sudden and pretty much always about 5\10 minutes after i was finally dropping to sleep.
Awful feeling, I dont know how to explain it, its like a shivery spine and then me jumping 5 inch off the matress. I only get it now and again, Infact i've not had it happen for a good year or so. But it was quite constant at one point. wierd
hmm perhaps someone needs to invent bed straps so you cant roll over and always looking up at the roof etc, sort of like when someone is strapped down to be executed..
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Caporegime
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'ever woke up with a dead man because you slept with him' would have made for a better thread.
I'd always wondered how long it would take or just how badly you could cut the circulation off before it did some damage.
I had traction done on my broken wrist once and that involved them using a Beer/Biher/Bher (spelling?) block where they essentially cut off the circulation to your arm, but maximum time they allowed it for was like 30 minutes... obviously that was also a really extreme cut off of the circulation and likely to be much more pressure than falling asleep on it.
I certainly feel a bit more panicked when it happens these days though, as I worry whether I've lost the use of it.
The strangest thing I personally feel about it is just how heavy your limb actually weighs. A dead arm is fairly heavy, but you don't really notice the weight normally because of your muscles.
I get it quite frequently - in both arms at the same time (sleeping face down with both arms under pillow). I then have to perform the 'freshly landed fish flop' to try and extricate myself, much to the amusement of my wife.
I've always assumed it's because I'm slim and the veins/arteries are close to the surface and easy to cut off. Any truth in this - do you porkers get the same thing?
I've always assumed it's because I'm slim and the veins/arteries are close to the surface and easy to cut off. Any truth in this - do you porkers get the same thing?
I can't see veins having anything to do with it, just nerves. Otherwise you'd probably get a DVT or something.
I get this allot.
Very unnerving the first time it happens, but after awhile its just a case of "Not Again"
As others have mentioned its nothing to do with blood circulation, Its just a trapped nerve. If it was blood circulation then you would be in big trouble as after several min the arm would start to die and would have to amputated.
Very unnerving the first time it happens, but after awhile its just a case of "Not Again"
As others have mentioned its nothing to do with blood circulation, Its just a trapped nerve. If it was blood circulation then you would be in big trouble as after several min the arm would start to die and would have to amputated.
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It mist be blood as well, as the arm goes cold and you can feel the blood flow back in.
It's both. The arteries tend to be squeezed tightly and restricts the blood flow to the limb although it is never cut off totally. If it was you would be in big trouble. From memory one to two hours of cut off circulation might result in amputation if you live of course. A lot of people die if the circulation is returned after a long period. An instant heart attack usually occurs as soon as a trapped/crushed limb is freed.
As all the toxins in your "dead" limb are suddenly released into the rest of your body, if you survive the heart attack, there is a very strong risk of renal failure and lots of other life threatening problems.
That's why if you come across somebody with a trapped limb you should always find out how long they have been trapped. If it's a long time, DO NOT release their limb as they are very likely to die. Wait for the ambulance.
So, in summary, if during the night you have a dead leg or arm, you have not cut off your circulation totally.
I had really, really bad pins and needles once when sat on a bus. Try getting off the top deck with slippery steps when your leg is half spasticated and you get electric shocks every time you put your foot down!
Almost broke the other leg by the time I got off the damn bus!
Every time I have had a dead arm, I have always woken up with it in the middle of the night. I expect most people's bodies wake them up if their arm is being cut off from circulation.