We've all been there, you use the toilet, try to stand up, and suddenly your legs go numb. That odd pins-and-needles feeling can be surprising and uncomfortable. Though it might feel like a small inconvenience, it does have a scientific explanation. The numbness, also called transient paresthesia, happens when pressure blocks blood flow or presses on nerves in your lower extremities. It is normally harmless, but frequent occurrences can be signs of underlying health issues or poor toilet habits that must be addressed.

That weird numbness you experience after going to the bathroom is typically just a temporary annoyance, most often due to bad posture, straining, or sitting for an extended period. But if the numbness continues or gets worse, it is important to get medical guidance to make sure there are no underlying health issues. We discovered the top three reasons that could be responsible for this tingling and how can you avoid it? Let's dissect.

3 Reasons Your Legs Go Numb on the Toilet

1. You’re Straining Too Much

Struggling to push during a bowel movement can put excessive pressure on your abdomen and spine. This increased pressure can shift spinal discs, pressing against nerves that extend into your legs and feet. The result? A temporary loss of sensation, tingling, or weakness in your lower limbs.

Straining usually results from constipation, which in turn can be caused by a low-fiber diet, dehydration, or inactivity. If you notice that you're straining frequently, perhaps it's time to change your eating and drinking habits to help move your bowels more easily.

2. Inadequate Sitting Posture

The way you sit on the toilet can also be a cause of that numbness in your legs. Most people are prone to hunching over when they are using their phones, reading, or just focusing too intensely. But this position can compress nerves and blood vessels in your pelvis, causing tingling or numbness.

When you sit slumped forward, you cut off blood supply to the lower half of your body, compressing nerves that travel from your pelvis to your toes. That's why the numbness will often radiate past your thighs and into your toes.

3. Sitting for Too Long

The more time you spend sitting on the toilet, the higher your chance of getting numb legs. Protracted sitting continually puts pressure on the nerves within your lower limbs, slowing blood flow and leaving you with the familiar pins-and-needles feeling.

If you habitually stay on the toilet for a long time, either from digestive problems or distractions such as browsing your phone, you may find that there is more numbness over the course of time. If constipation is leaving you on the toilet longer than normal, diet changes can calm your system.

How to Stop Your Legs from Falling Asleep on the Toilet

Although periodic tingling is not a health issue, recurring numbness is a problem that needs to be addressed. Below are some professional-recommended ways of preventing it:

1. Proper Posture

Being seated with your knees higher than your hips can make all the difference. Sitting this way enables your colon to unwind, facilitating smooth bowel movements while minimizing pressure on the lower parts of your body.

Don't slouch, as this squishes nerves and blood vessels, making numbness more likely. If necessary, lean your back against the toilet tank or wall to keep your posture good.

2. Don't Spend Too Long on the Toilet

Specialists recommend five to ten minutes of toilet time per visit. If you are straining, stand up, walk around, and try later. Forcing the bowel movement can cause more damage than benefit, putting greater pressure on your spine and worsening numbness.

If constipation is a chronic problem, being hydrated and consuming fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can get your digestive system back in working order.

3. Use a Toilet Stool

Raising your feet using a toilet stool may position your body for a more natural and strain-free bowel movement. A squatting position keeps the rectal canal open, minimizing the need to push and reducing the risk of leg numbness.

4. Try a Padded Toilet Seat

Hard toilet seats can restrict circulation in your lower body, increasing the risk of numbness. A cushioned or padded toilet seat can provide better support, improving blood flow to the legs and feet while reducing pressure on the pelvis.

When to Seek Medical Advice

While it's normal to have some numbness in your legs from time to time when sitting on the toilet, ongoing tingling or numbness in your lower extremities may be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. If you find yourself experiencing:

• Bathroom-use-independent frequent numbness
• Muscle weakness
• Pain or discomfort in legs or lower back
• Loss of bladder or bowel control

It's best to see a healthcare expert to exclude conditions such as nerve compression, circulatory disorder, or spinal condition.

Experts have urged people to keep an eye on their fingernails, as unusual changes might point to underlying health problems. According to specialists, certain nail colours could indicate the risk of severe illnesses. While some changes may be harmless, specific colour alterations could require medical attention. The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD) has outlined concerning nail symptoms on its website.

The organisation stated: "Have you noticed a change to any of your nails lately? A change in colour, texture, or shape can be harmless, but it can also be a sign of disease. If you notice any of the following changes to a fingernail or toenail, it's time to see a board-certified dermatologist."

Fingernails Colour Change: What Changes Could Signal Serious Health Conditions

Based on this advice, AAD specialists recommend watching for these nail colours:

• White
• Half pink, half white
• Yellow
• Dusky red half-moons
• A dark streak

They explained: "Nail colour changes can sometimes reflect conditions inside the body. Certain shades may serve as warning signs for specific diseases."

White Nails: Could Indicate Liver Problems or Diabetes

The AAD points out that nails turning white may be a sign of liver disease or diabetes. In liver disease, this is particularly likely in people with cirrhosis, the most advanced stage of the condition.

However, nails can naturally become whiter with age. Still, it is recommended to have any noticeable changes checked by a healthcare professional.

Half Pink, Half White Nails: Possible Sign of Kidney Disease

Nails that appear half pink and half white may indicate kidney problems. The AAD describes this pattern as “a white colour on the upper part of one or more nails and a normal to reddish-brown colour below.”

Yellow Nails: Could Signal Lung or Circulatory Issues

Yellowing of the nails may be linked to lung disease and could reflect problems in the circulatory or lymphatic systems.

"When these systems don’t function properly, fluid can accumulate in the soft tissues beneath the skin, causing nails to turn yellow," explains the Cleveland Clinic. That said, yellow nails can also result from fungal infections or smoking.

Dusky Red Half-Moons: Potential Early Sign of Cancer

The AAD warns that a new or changing dark streak under a nail could indicate cancer, particularly melanoma, which is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. The NHS also advises seeing a GP if “you have a dark area under a nail that has not been caused by an injury.”

Dark Patches Under the Nails: When to Seek Immediate Care

Noticing a dark patch beneath your nail may point to skin cancer. Experts recommend visiting a GP as soon as possible if this occurs.

Other Nail Colours To Watch

Additional nail colours that may indicate health issues, according to the AAD, include:

• Blue nails: Could indicate insufficient oxygen in the blood.
• Pale nails: Might point to anaemia.
• Blue half-moons: Could suggest exposure to toxins or poisoning.

Many in their late 30s and early 40s find themselves Googling weird stuff, including 'why am I having a tingling feelin in my arm?' 'why do I feel like something is brushing across my arm?', and more. This is what many call a phantom feeling arm, which means there is nothing actually tickling, but you feel it anyway. Medically, it is known as paresthesia, a tingling feeling or numb sensation, usually what people refer to as the pins and needles sensation. This is caused by temporary pressure on a nerve or any underlying nerve damage issue.

If you look up anything like that, many women claimed, it instantly shows: perimenopause.

Despite an increased awareness around it, perimenopause and menopause still remain a taboo. In a survey, it was found that 54 per cent of women were concerned about the uncertainty they are about to face in their perimenopause and menopause period.

Menopause is not just hot flashes, it is much more than that. Dr Mahima Gulati, an endocrinologist at UConn Health points out symptoms like gaining weight despite "doing everything right", brain fog, aching joints, sleepless nights, exhausting days, and depleted energy. She says "These symptoms are real. This is not something women are imagining, and it is not just aging. There are real biological changes happening, and women deserve evidence based care and support as they move through them."

What Can Help Women Dealing With Menopause and Perimenopause?

Before going into the solution, let us first understand what these term really mean.

Perimenopause: It is the period when a menstruator transitions to menopause, or when the period stops permanently. This phase is characterized by fluctuating hormone levels, irregular periods, which could be shorter, longer, heavier, or lighter, hot flashes, sleep problems and mood changes.

Menopause: This is the natural, permanent end of menstruation defined as 12 consecutive months without a period. This typically occurs between ages 45 to 55.

What Can Help In Menopause And Perimenopause?

Form Connections

“For women to sit in a room and realize they are not alone is incredibly therapeutic. Connection itself reduces the burden of chronic conditions,” points out Dr Gulati.

The doctor points out that women often learn from each others’ experience and this is why social connections are extremely important in this time.

Pay Attention On Sleep

Sleep problems are one of the most common and exhausting symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. Hormonal changes can disrupt deep sleep, causing women to wake up in the early hours, deal with night sweats, and struggle to fall back asleep. When this happens regularly, it leads to severe energy drain, not just tiredness.

To improve sleep, Gulati focuses on simple, practical habits. These include keeping a regular sleep schedule, avoiding caffeine and alcohol in the evening, reducing screen time after 7 p.m., keeping phones out of the bedroom, and practicing calming activities like yoga or meditation. Drinking enough water during the day can also help regulate body temperature at night and reduce hot flashes.

Managing Stress Differently

Instead of trying to eliminate stress, which is often unrealistic, Gulati encourages women to change how they respond to it. Stress is treated as a signal to reassess priorities, set boundaries, and ask for support when needed. This shift helps build resilience and prevents burnout.

Movement Beyond Exercise

Physical activity becomes especially important in midlife, but it’s not just about workouts. Strength training helps protect muscles and bones, while regular movement throughout the day, balance exercises, and flexibility work support long-term health. Reducing long sitting hours is just as important as planned exercise.

Reducing Harmful Habits

Gulati also advises cutting back on alcohol and avoiding tobacco. After menopause, alcohol can worsen sleep, increase belly fat, and raise the risk of conditions like breast cancer and osteoporosis. Limiting late-night screen use can further improve sleep quality.

Eating to Support the Body

Nutrition is another key focus. Rather than aiming for perfection, Gulati encourages small, steady improvements like eating more vegetables and protein, staying hydrated, and choosing foods that may ease menopausal symptoms. The goal is better energy, sleep, and overall health, not just weight loss.

Glaucoma is an umbrella term for a group of eye diseases that create pressure inside your eyeball, which can damage delicate, critical parts at the back of your eye, including the optic nerve.

While most of the diseases are progressive, meaning they gradually get worse and eventually cause permanent vision loss and blindness. In fact, glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness worldwide and is the leading cause of blindness for people over 60 years old.

Dr Niteen Dedhia, Medical Director, Ojas Maxivision Eye Hospital tells Business Standard: "Glaucoma slowly and quietly causes damage to the optic nerve. Changes in eye pressure, blood flow and nerve fibres occur over time, while the brain often compensates for the loss.

"As a result, symptoms go unnoticed, and by the time vision loss becomes apparent, the damage is usually permanent."

Many forms of glaucoma have no warning signs and the effect is extremely gradual, to the point that you may not notice a change in vision until the condition is in its late stages.

Here are some symptoms that mid-age people need to keep an eye out for:

1. Gradual loss of circumferential vision

One of the earliest symptoms of glaucoma is damage and subsequent loss of peripheral vision. Dr Dedhia noted: “Glaucoma starts by damaging the peripheral vision but doesn’t affect the centre (front) vision."

If you seem to struggle with spotting objects approaching from the side or bump into things more often, you may be experiencing early stages of the disease and not merely experiencing normal ageing.

2. Difficulty seeing or reading in the dark or low light settings

3. Frequent changes in eye power

Dr Neeraj Sanduja, Ophthalmologist, Eye Surgeon at Viaan Eye Centre, Gurgaon told the publication: "Needing frequent prescription changes or feeling that glasses 'never feel quite right' may reflect subtle visual field changes caused by glaucoma rather than simple refractive error progression."

4. Eye pressure or unusual discomfort

Open-angle glaucoma, the most common form of the condition that causes patchy blind spots in your side vision, is often painless or limited to a mild sense of pressure or heaviness in the eyes.

Those suffering from open-angle glaucoma may notice a dull ache after prolonged screen time or reading that improves with rest. Frequently mistaken as regular eye strain, it is often ignored, however, may indicate subtle increases in eye pressure that require professional evaluation.

5. Frequent headaches with eye strain

Frequent headaches, especially when accompanied by eye strain or blurred vision, should not be ignored as migraine pain as it may signal rising eye pressure or early glaucoma changes, Dr Dedhia warns.

Who Is at Risk for Glaucoma?

Certain groups of people have a higher than normal risk of getting glaucoma which includes those who:

• have high eye pressure
• are farsighted or nearsighted
• have had an eye injury
• use long-term steroid medications
• have corneas that are thin in the center
• have thinning of the optic nerve
• have diabetes, migraines, high blood pressure, poor blood circulation or other health problems affecting the whole body
• are over age 40
• have family members with glaucoma
• are of African, Hispanic, or Asian heritage