You might shake when waking up due to low blood sugar, anxiety, caffeine, sleep deprivation, or certain medications, as these trigger your body's stress response or affect your nervous system, causing jitters or tremors as you transition from sleep. Less commonly, it could signal withdrawal (alcohol) or underlying issues like diabetes, but addressing lifestyle factors like caffeine and sleep is a good first step, with a doctor visit recommended if it's persistent.
An imbalance in essential electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, or calcium can interfere with muscle and nerve function, leading to body shakes when waking up. This is often caused by dehydration, illness, or poor dietary habits.
When your blood sugar drops too low, your body reacts with shakiness, dizziness, and weakness. This is common if you haven't eaten in a while or have diabetes. Dehydration. Not drinking enough water can lead to electrolyte imbalances, making your muscles feel weak and shaky.
Low Blood Sugar Level (Hypoglycemia)
Low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia, is a common reason why people feel shaking inside when they wake up. It's especially frequent in those with diabetes, but it can also happen to anyone who skips meals or follows a very restrictive diet.
Yes, dehydration can cause shaking due to electrolyte imbalances and low blood sugar levels affecting muscle and nerve function.
Five key signs of dehydration include thirst, dark/less urine, dry mouth, headache, and dizziness/lightheadedness, signaling your body needs fluids, with reduced urination and darker urine being key indicators you aren't getting enough water. Other signs include tiredness, fatigue, cool extremities, and in infants, fewer tears when crying or sunken eyes.
Common causes of tremor include benign essential tremor, nervousness, medication side effects, thyroid hormone disorders or abnormal electrolyte levels (potassium, sodium or calcium).
Should I be worried if I wake up shaking? If you frequently wake up shaking or experience other symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, or dizziness, it's important to seek medical attention.
However, tremors and other movement disorders are associated with vitamin deficiency, most vitamins B1, B6 and especially B12. B12 is very important for keeping your nervous system in good working order. Severe lack of Vitamin B12 is rare, but shakiness and tremors can occur even in mild deficiency.
Tingling, buzzing, or vibrating feelings in your body can sometimes be due to nerve signals sending extra messages. These sensations might be linked to conditions like diabetes, phantom vibration syndrome or internal tremors seen in some people, including those with a history of long COVID.
Common signs and symptoms of low blood glucose
Liver and kidney failure may cause damage in certain brain areas that leads to tremors or jerky movements. Diabetes. High or low blood sugar (hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia, respectively) may cause tremors or other involuntary movements. Stress, anxiety, or fatigue may be associated with tremors.
Certain metabolic conditions, like hyperthyroidism, hypocalcemia, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hypomagnesemia. These are typically treatable. Certain neurodegenerative conditions, like Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis (MS). Stroke.
The main treatment options are medications, assistive devices, botulinum toxin, deep brain stimulation and focused ultrasound. Your healthcare provider may recommend deep brain stimulation or focused ultrasound if other treatments aren't enough to help your tremors.
The “pill rolling” tremor that is often described in medical texts refers to the tremors of the fingers, usually the thumb plus the other fingers, that makes it look as if the person is rolling a pill in the fingers. This is most often the part of the body where tremors will begin.
Hydrate. Drinking water is one of the easiest and most effective ways to ease coffee jitters. Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it can lead to dehydration—and dehydration can make symptoms like shakiness and a racing heart feel even more intense.
B12 deficiency can trigger specific food cravings, most notably for meat, fish, or eggs, as the body seeks animal-based sources to replenish the vitamin, especially in those on vegetarian/vegan diets or older adults. While cravings for sugary or salty foods can also signal general B-vitamin issues, the distinct urge for protein-rich animal products is a key indicator, but professional testing is crucial for confirmation.
Vitamin D insufficiency and osteoporosis. There is evidence that several HKMDs, including Huntington disease, RLS, and tremor, are associated with low vitamin D serum levels.
Accompanying Symptoms: If you experience additional concerning symptoms, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, severe headache, confusion, or fainting, seek immediate medical attention, as these may indicate a more serious condition.
Low blood sugar levels, also known as hypoglycemia, usually develop when your body goes through a sudden drop in sugar levels, causing physical symptoms like shakiness. Hypoglycemia can happen overnight if you haven't eaten for several hours, causing your glucose levels to dip during sleep.
Fine tremor in MS can be a more noticeable version of that. It might be a shaking in the hands, feet or other part of the body. If you have the bigger movements of gross tremor, that might be in the arms or legs. This can make it harder to balance or perform certain active movements, like reaching for something.
Tremor red flags signaling a potentially serious underlying condition include sudden onset, worsening over time, significant functional impairment, or the presence of other neurological symptoms like balance/gait issues (ataxia), slow movements (bradykinesia), muscle stiffness (rigidity), speech problems (dysarthria), or changes in thinking/memory; unusual age (under 20 or over 80); or association with alcohol withdrawal, certain medications, or systemic illness (e.g., thyroid issues). These signs warrant urgent medical evaluation to differentiate from common tremors.
A small drop in the blood potassium level often does not cause symptoms or causes mild to moderate symptoms, which may include:
People with hypotension have blood pressure readings below 90/60 mmHg. Common symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, weakness, difficulty concentrating, irritability, palpitations, and trembling limbs.
5 Signs of an Electrolyte Imbalance