Arms fall asleep @ night often...anxiety???

[lisabeth310]

I'd appreciate a response if this is also a symptom for you, or if you know anything about it.  I have other symptoms, and have been told they are due to anxiety, but this one is so odd and specific.  If this is truly an anxiety symptom, and I can get an explanation, I can possibly accept this diagnosis.  Otherwise, I still feel like there is something else going on.

I am an otherwise healthy mid 40's woman.  I know from time to time, if you sleep on your arm a certain way, this can happen, but since my "anxiety" began in July, this happens all the time.  Searching this forum, I have found some others that claim that as a symptom, and some have been told by a neuro. that anxiety is the cause.  I can't find anything else on the internet that explains this as being anything but a physical cause - compression of a nerve or circulation.  (once I change position, then it may be numb or tingle for a few minutes, then returns to normal)  I don't have tingling or numbness otherwise.

I also have muscle aches and pains at times, (legs and arms), sometimes the joints in my hands or elbows hurt, I have muscle twitches and jerks while @ rest, ringing in my ears, and the list goes on.  The nerve that run down the inside of my arm often feels irritated, or "tickly" for lack of a better word. Other than a lumbar puncture, I have had many tests for all the other stuff these weird symptoms can cause.  My GP has referred to a neuro (in a few weeks) in her words "to ease my mind and give me closure."  I hope she's right!

I thank you for any insight!!

[Donniesmom]

I have had tingly feelings in my arms for 3 years and it always come on with anxiety.  I don't know why.  Anxiety symptoms can manifest in tons of ways to ruin our day.  I have had vertigo, nausea, chest pain, arm tingling, headaches, pain down my left arm, feeling foggy, restless legs at night, a flush of nervous goosebumps over my body that leaves me feeling very weird, diarhea usually immediately follows this one, hard to take a full breath, and rapid pulse. I do freak out a bit when they start but I have to tell myself I have felt this before and I know what it is.  Celexa is the best for me, I tried Zoloft and Prozac and neither worked. I also couldn't sleep on them.  If you have had your heart checked as well as a blood panel, more than likely your dr. Is right.

[mel1027]

For a few months now, I have had weakness in my arms and legs and often times have my arms and legs fall asleep during the night.  I do have a herniated disk in my back and one in my neck, but the neuro didn't think this was causing my symptoms.  My doctor said if it was the result of a herniated disk, the symptoms would be on one side, not bilateral.  I am so tired of dealing with this every day.  The weakness in my arms/legs during the day affects everything I do and then I can't even get a good night's rest because my arms/legs are constantly falling asleep.  I just wish I had an answer.

[john123471]

That was exactly how my arms felt for about 3 months.  I'm convinced now it is anxiety.  It all just went away and now there's some other anxiety symptom acting up.  It's as if there always has to be one way for it to manifest itself.  Now my throat hurts on and off for no other apparent reason.  It probably isn't even that bad, but I focus so much on it that it seems worse then it is.  And like most other symptoms, when I'm actively doing something to take my mind off it, it pretty much goes away for the time being.

[RobVT3]

I've been having very similar issues where my hands and arms fall asleep very easily at night.  I also feel the inside of my arms especially around my elbow are sore often.  I have pretty bad anxiety and never noticed it before the anxiety started.  I just started taking Zoloft about 8 days ago so I wonder if that has anything to do with it.

[applezion]

See a doctor

[lisabeth310]

Just updating for any symptom searchers looking for answers.  (when I search a symptom, I always wondered if that person ever got a dx. and wish they'ed let us know what ever happened!)

I had an EMG test which showed I had carpal tunnel, but all else was fine.  When I wear my wrist splints at night, my hands don't fall asleep.

Wondering how I got carpal tunnel, I found out it can be caused by menopause (that's not me yet) and also that many people dx. with fibromyalgia have it, too.  I don't think I have that, either.  I was concerned because this sx. started along with other wierd stuff.

There are many things that can cause limbs to fall asleep easily including anxiety, and also some autoimmune and neurological diseases.  (I read this on a credible web sight.)

(Oh, and regarding the reply from stevie_x0, I have been checked for anemia, and it came back fine.  thank you, though!)

[stevie_x0]

you might want to think about getting your iron levels checked. you have a lot of the symptoms of it. and it can also cause anxiety as well.
ive been suffering from low iron for about 4 years now so i know a lot about it. it causes your extremities to fall asleep more often, ringing in the ears, muscle twitches, joint pain, and so much more.
this has reeked havoc on my life for years and all doctor told me i was crazy pretty much. ive been told its all in my head. ive seen so many specialist and doctors, until i finally got a new GP who actually took me serious ran a serious of blood test and i found out i had been anemic and thats what caused my never ending list of problems.

[lisabeth310]

Yes, that's exactly how I feel.  My elbows might ache, and my arms and legs feel tired, but the more active I am, I notice it less.  I can still work out and don't really notice it then.  

When I googled the arms falling asleep thing, Thoratic Outlet Syndrome came up.  It's when the muscles in your neck at the brachial plexus compress the nerves.  I didn't find anything about anxiety being a cause, but it mentioned muscle tightness or muscle spasms.  And I do know that people with anxiety often have tight necks.  I know I do.  It also can cause arm tingling and pain or numbness. I'm going to run it by the neuro and see what she says.  I'm one of those people that needs to know the "why" for everything.  

Thanks for your comment, (and to the others, too) It really helps to know I'm not alone with these symptoms!!

[john123471]

I just started having the exact same things happen.  Mostly at night, my arms get tingly very easily, sometimes fall asleep, and my joints, especially my elbows ache.  My arms and legs sometimes feel super tired like I over-worked out.  I was worried at first, but truly believe this is an anxiety condition.  The more I am concentrating on something else (work, fun, etc, the feelings get better, when I think about them, they get worse, and some days they just go away.  I do remember similar feelings about a year ago when I first realized I had anxiety and they went away after a few weeks.  I think these will go away soon too.

[lisabeth310]

To dancemommy: Yes, I do yawn a lot, but think that started with the meds.  I don't think I see things distorted, but if I try to focus on something far away, it seems like my eyes won't stay focused on what I'm looking at, like they move a little.  That only happens when I'm "testing" my vision, and don't seem to notice it when I'm not thinking about it.  So maybe it's my imagination.  

To Tabieng:  My c-spine mri showed some "normal" degeneration in my spine, and slight bulging disk.  My GP doesn't think it's causing this stuff, but says the neuro may see something she has missed.  We'll see.

I feel like my problem is either hormonal, or more likely a neurotransmitter imbalance or something. I am concerned, but don't really feel "anxious" much. Most people who have concerns or normal stress in their lives don't have all this weird stuff!!  What the hay?? Later on I'm going to make a different post what I think MAY be causing my arms to fall asleep.  

[dancemommy]

just zoloft and klonopin, i have never taken the klonopin though, cuz i really hate the drugged feeling, this morning i only took a half of my 25mgs, we will see how that goes,. my left arm feels weird alot 2, my dr says its from tensing up my muscles, who knows,, but have any of u ever read the symptoms that the drugs themselves cause?

[Tabieng]

I also have anxiety. Right now I'm on pain meds for my neck pain. I found that pain pills helped with my anxiety as well. I think my anxiety is caused by my hormones. I always get an attack before I start my periods. As far as "fixing" my neck I just need to take care of it, but I get numbness in my left arm (I thought it was a heart problem) they did a scan and found it was my disks. Have u tried Prozac yet?

[Repo438]

Me 2 I don't think it's anxiety I'm pretty much convict it's not but eveyone says it is. I get all the sane feelibg I feel high 24-7 and I stayed away from drugs cigs liquor beer even all Caffin no soada coffee cuz they say that trigger anxiety and nothing helps me still trying to find the right meds

[dancemommy]

cant they do anything about your neck??

[Tabieng]

I bet its a bad disk in your neck. I have a few that are herniated and have all those happen to me.

[dancemommy]

yep, thats how i feel, lol, right down to the burping, do you yawn alot? i yawn all the time 4 some reason. i cant remember if i had the bussong feeling b4 or not.. if so, then i really dont feel any better with the meds. i made mt dr lower my dose of zoloft.i was on 50mg. and she lowered it to 25mg, she told me i need to raise it back up or i wouldnt feel better, but i HATE taking it, i really think they are making me worse or something..do you ever feel like you see things kindof distorted?

[lisabeth310]

Yes, I also have that buzzed feeling in my head, and it seems like when it's quiet, I have a constant slight ringing sound that's in my head.  I have been on the generic form of Celexa for almost 2 mos., but I think I had that feeling before.  For about 3 weeks this past summer I felt slightly dizzy, or "woozy" and a little off balance.  Sometimes I would have strange skin sensations, like my skin would feel tight on my arms.  I also would startle easily, get the butterflies feeling in my stomach, and belch often.  (I read that shallow breathing causes belching & common w/ anxiety, but swore I was breathing normally.)  

It seems like the symptoms I had that didn't concern me as much didn't last very long, but the ones I worry about hang around. I wish they would all leave NOW!  Like all of us here, I want my old life back!!

[dancemommy]

i have the muscle aches also, and my arms seem to fall asleep quite often to.. what other symptoms do you have? i have occasional dizzyness and unbalanced feelings, tingling in my arms and legs and face, sometimes i dont know if what i feel is anxiety or the meds that im on, my head always feels buzzed, its weird, i didnt take one this one day, but i didnt really feel better, but then i read that the meds stay n your body for a few days, i just know im frustrated and i dont believe its anxiety either