Why does anxiety cause numbness and tingling?

Anxiety causes numbness and tingling by changing your breathing and blood flow. Breathing faster or deeper than your body needs lowers carbon dioxide in your blood, which makes nerves in your hands, feet, lips and face fire more easily.

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What happens in your body

Tingling, pins and needles or numbness in the hands, feet, lips or face is common with anxiety. When your body shifts into alert mode, your breathing often becomes faster or deeper than your body needs.

This over-breathing lowers the level of carbon dioxide in your blood. Lower carbon dioxide changes how easily your nerves fire, which brings on tingling or numbness.

Alert mode sends blood to your large muscles, so your hands and feet can feel cold or tingly. Tense muscles and sitting still in one position can also press on nerves and bring pins and needles.

Why it feels so scary

Once you begin watching a body part closely to check on it, normal sensations in that area feel louder.

Feeling frightened by the tingling can also make you breathe faster or take bigger breaths. That keeps carbon dioxide low in your blood and keeps the tingling going.

Tingling from anxiety comes and goes, and it is not a sign of nerve damage. Putting your attention on a pleasant sensation, like the weight of your body on the chair, is the opposite of a panic spiral.

Why it keeps coming back

After weeks of anxiety, your body can stop switching between rest mode and alert mode and stay in alert mode. Your breathing and muscle tension stay set for a threat even during ordinary parts of your day.

Because your body holds that state, tingling in your hands, feet or face can show up on days you do not feel anxious. This state is trainable with daily practice.

Try Light, Slow, Deep (LSD) Breathing

Place your hands on either side of your ribcage.
Breathe in slowly through your nose and feel your ribs widen out to the sides instead of rising up into your chest.
Let the exhale fall without forcing it as your ribs draw back in, with no need to hear your breathing.
Let your belly soften 10% more for 4 to 5 breaths, then breathe naturally and notice.

Play LSD Breathing 3 min

When to check with a doctor

You suddenly get numbness, tingling or weakness on one side of your face or body, a drooping face or slurred speech (call emergency services).
It comes with chest pain or sudden, severe breathlessness (call emergency services).
You have numbness around your bottom or genitals, have trouble peeing, or lose control of your bladder or bowels (call emergency services).
You have weakness or tingling that is spreading up your legs or arms over hours or days (get seen the same day; call emergency services if it affects your breathing or swallowing).
It started after an injury to your head, neck or back.
It is there all the time in your hands or feet, or you have diabetes.

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Common questions

Where does anxiety tingling usually show up?

Tingling from over-breathing most often shows up in your fingers and around your mouth, and it often happens on both sides at the same time.

How long does anxiety tingling take to fade?

When you breathe lighter and slower, carbon dioxide in your blood comes back up over a few minutes and the tingling fades. Taking big, deep breaths to test your lungs lowers carbon dioxide further and keeps the sensation around longer.