The myth of the autopsy - when arms and legs fall asleep

Intense tingling, itching, and numbness when arms or legs fall asleep can be quite unpleasant for a short time. But what's behind this sudden "sleep," and how does it happen that we briefly lose control of our limbs? We'll explain why our body parts sometimes fall asleep and what really happens in our bodies when this happens.

Table of contents

1. What is obdormation?
2. Typical symptoms of obdormation
3. Causes and triggers of falling asleep
4. What you can do about it
5. Conclusion

We all know the feeling when our arms, legs, or even individual fingers and toes fall asleep: It tingles, itches, and while it doesn't really hurt, it's still very uncomfortable for a short time. This is especially true when we sit cross-legged or with our legs crossed, or overnight if we've been in bed for a long time. lay, our arms and legs often fall asleep. But do our limbs really "fall asleep" during this time, or how does it happen that we lose feeling in our arms or legs for a few moments?

1. What is obdormation?

The technical term obdormation describes a widespread phenomenon that we know in everyday life as the limbs "falling asleep." This basically refers to sudden discomfort and numbness in individual parts of the body, so-called paresthesias. This results in an unpleasant tingling, burning, stinging, or pulling sensation, along with a pronounced numbness, in the affected part of the body. For a short time, we are usually no longer able to properly control or move the affected area and have to endure the tingling or pins-and-needles feeling under the skin. In principle, any part of the body can be affected by obdormation, but the most common type of numbness is in the outer extremities, i.e., our arms and legs, or even individual fingers and toes.

With our nightly restorative sleep However, this has little to do with it, because obdormation is not a phase of rest and regeneration, but a short-term neurological dysfunction.

2. Causes and triggers of obdormation

The "falling asleep" of limbs is fundamentally due to an impairment of our nervous system. Our nerves are responsible for transmitting stimuli and information from all areas of the body, which we perceive through our senses, directly to the brain, where they can be processed and evaluated. This occurs primarily via the nerve pathways that run throughout our entire body.

The typical symptoms of failure, which we refer to as a body part "falling asleep", occur when the nerve pathways are impaired by incorrect pressure, bottlenecks or kinks, and the transmission of stimuli is interrupted - for example, because our legs or arms remain in a bent or uncomfortable position for too long. The brain then no longer receives any information and can no longer properly control the affected body part. This leads to the typical feeling of numbness. When we then move again, the blocked nerve is released and the supply to the nerve pathways resumes, which means our brain is virtually flooded with stimuli. This causes the typical pulling, stabbing or burning sensation, which usually subsides after a short time.

While falling asleep in your arms or legs is extremely unpleasant, it's usually harmless and quickly subsides. However, in rare cases, frequent obsessions can be caused by health problems, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or restless leg syndrome.If you often suffer from numb or tingling arms, legs or fingers, you should definitely consult a doctor.

3. Typical symptoms of obdormation

deafness

If the transmission of impulses is interrupted by an unsuitable posture, this can also lead to reduced blood flow to the affected parts of the body, preventing them from receiving sufficient oxygen and nutrients. This also limits the general function of the numb arm or leg, as both the control via the nerve pathway and the blood supply are blocked.

Tingling, stabbing, pulling

The tingling, itchy sensation under the skin is a kind of warning signal from the nerves to change our posture and move the affected part of the body so that the flow of stimuli can be reopened. As soon as we move and the nerve pathway is exposed again, the brain is flooded with the multitude of stimuli, causing it to react with unpleasant pins and needles under the skin.

4. Quick relief from numb arms and legs

As long as our foot or arm is "asleep," we don't actually feel any real pain. When we change our posture, the nerve supply resumes, the body part "wakes up," and unpleasant sensations like tingling or stabbing begin.

If your leg or arm has fallen asleep, the first thing to do is move! Change your sitting or lying position to relieve pressure on the affected area and release any compressed nerves. To help the nerve and bloodstream blockages clear more quickly, it can also help to stimulate the muscles and blood flow to the affected area through gentle rubbing and stretching. This will help your hand, fingers, legs, or toes receive more oxygen and nutrients more quickly, allowing them to return to their normal function.

Attention: Remember that your body needs a few moments to regain full control of numb parts. For example, avoid stepping directly on a numb foot to avoid risking injury.

5. Conclusion

• The myth of obdormation or the falling asleep of limbs refers to short-term discomfort in individual parts of the body caused by a blockage of the nervous and conduction system.

• Arms and legs that have fallen asleep are not really asleep, but due to the disrupted connection to the brain they become temporarily numb and difficult to control.

• In addition to direct pressure relief and movement, gentle rubbing and massaging can also help to relieve unpleasant symptoms such as tingling, stinging, itching or pulling.