You have surely experienced the sensation of your foot falling asleep before. Sometimes your foot can fall asleep gradually, and other times it seems to happen all at once.
And you may even wake up with a numb sensation. The reasons for your foot being numb can be benign, but some can be very dangerous.
So it’s important to keep reading so you can understand the reasons your foot is numb and how to keep your foot from falling asleep in the future. And as always, if you have any questions, you should see a podiatrist in Marietta.
Read More: Tips On Preventing Foot Pain
Why Does My Foot Fall Asleep?
Well there are different causes for loss of sensation. So answering “What happens when your leg falls asleep?” or “What causes your foot to fall asleep while sitting?” is more complex than it seems.
However, the actual physical mechanism for making your foot fall asleep has to do with your nerves.
When your nerves stop speaking with your brain, then you’ll experience paresthesia. This means pins and needles or feeling of numbness in your feet.
This can often happen because you have your feet in the same position for a long time. For instance, you might cross your legs, this Indian style, you might have your foot underneath yourself or otherwise be in an awkward position.
Ultimately, this can put pressure on the vessels that supply the blood to your nerves. So without that blood flow, your nerves stop sending messages to your brain.
To be even more specific, sometimes you can feel that tingling or numbness because the nerves are sending signals to your brain but they’re a little bit interrupted because you don’t have great blood flow to that area at that time.
That’s where that feeling of numbness or tingling can come from. While it might seem scary, it’s pretty harmless for the most part.
What Happens When Your Foot Falls Asleep For Too Long?
So, what does it mean when your foot falls asleep? Typically you’re not going to have any kind of lasting damage from letting your foot fall asleep.
Frankly, the most damage that you could probably cause is by trying to walk on your foot and accidentally stepping on something sharp because you can’t feel it.
Aside from that though, if you are feeling consistent numbness or pins and needles, that could be a sign that you have some other problems that you need to get evaluated from a doctor.
Alcohol usage, cancer, nerve trauma, and diabetes can all cause nerve conditions. So if this is a consistent problem for you in terms of your feet feeling numb, then get help right away.
Knowing how to wake up your foot when it falls asleep is one thing. Preventing it from happening in the future is another.
Learn More About Foot Numbness
If your foot is falling asleep, then don’t hesitate to reach out to our podiatrists today. You deserve comprehensive, compassionate care. That way you can stay in the best health and engage in all the activities that you truly enjoy every day.