How To Stop Trembling: Understanding And Treating Shaking Hands

Feeling as though you don’t have control over your body can be a frustrating experience. Legs that won’t stay still, eyes twitching, and a hand tremor are examples of what you might experience in such moments. The experience can feel scary, especially when you’re unsure of the cause. Only a doctor can diagnose you with certainty, but there are some conditions you can take into consideration if you are experiencing uncontrollable shakiness in your limbs.

What causes uncontrollable hand tremors?

Hand tremors can be caused for many different reasons, including:

• Stress 

• Certain mental health conditions, like anxiety

• Side effects of certain medications, like antibiotics

• Sleep deprivation

• Caffeine

• Low blood sugar

If you notice that your hand shakes continuously, not just when you feel stressed or anxious, your hand tremors may be caused by a medical condition. Medical conditions that can affect the nervous system that may lead to hand tremors include:

• Parkinson’s disease 

• Multiple sclerosis

• Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)

• Brain injury or stroke

Shaking hands and anxiety

Anxiety is a common mental health condition, affecting approximately 40 million adults in the United States. It is marked by intense, excessive worry and fear about ordinary situations and tends to be persistent throughout the day. Anxiety can cause several symptoms such as:

• Heart palpitations

• Sweating

• A racing pulse

• Feeling restless

• Muscle tension

• Difficulty sleeping

• Worrying a lot

• Irritability

• Difficulty concentrating

• Confusion or brain fog

• Easily forgetting things

• Rapid breathing

• Feelings of impending doom

• Panic attacks

• Weakness

• Being tense or on edge

• Fatigue

• Trembling

Anxiety can become uncontrollable and impede regular daily activities. In these cases, an anxiety disorder might be to blame. Severe anxiety may also cause trembling and shaking. This symptom could also interfere with everyday activities such as those that require you to use your hands.

What causes anxiety?

Anxiety can be caused by one specific event or a variety of factors. Genetics can play a role, meaning some people may be predisposed to developing an anxiety disorder, and it can run in families. Brain chemistry may also play a part. When certain neurotransmitters are unbalanced or hormones aren’t at normal levels, this can contribute to anxiety.

Other factors might include drug use or withdrawal from certain substances. Sometimes, a medical condition is to blame. Anxiety is a common comorbid disorder in people who have depression and other mental health conditions.

If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357 to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.

Life circumstances might also cause anxiety. An individual experiencing anxiety might work in a stressful environment, have relationship troubles, or financial stress, for example. Talking with a mental health professional can help one uncover the source of their anxiety.

Why do I shake when I’m nervous?

Nervousness is a common experience and can be a symptom of anxiety. It can be important to note that the terms “nervousness” and “anxiety” are not synonyms. Rather, anxiety is deeper and more complex than nervousness. Nervousness may be more of a fleeting feeling and is not inherently a mental health issue.

Certain events can lead to anxiety, including the death of a loved one, financial distress, life changes, or work-related pressure. When you feel anxious about a situation, your body may react viscerally to the unwelcome feeling by shaking. 

Whenever you are anxious, your body releases a stress hormone called adrenaline that prepares you to escape  danger. In a normal situation in which you feel afraid or threatened, your body may also release adrenaline. Since you aren’t fighting off an attacker or running away from one, the adrenaline boost becomes nervous energy that your body may try to eliminate by shaking.

Shaking can also be caused by factors other than anxiety. It might be a good idea to talk to your doctor and rule out all other possible causes of uncontrollable shaking.

How to control shaky hands when you are nervous 

There may be many ways to control shaking or trembling caused by anxiety. These techniques are designed to promote calmness. If you can calm yourself during periods of anxiety or nervousness, you may be able to better control or minimize the shaking.

Mindfulness is essentially the practice of being in the here and now. When you’re in a state of mindfulness, you don’t allow thoughts about the past or future to overtake your mind. Instead, you let these thoughts float through your mind rather than holding onto them. Your focus remains on aspects of the present moment such as the feeling of the air on your skin, the smell of a nearby candle, your breathing, and so on. With practice, mindfulness can help you regain a sense of control over your mind and body. Below are some examples of mindfulness exercises:

Progressive muscle relaxation

Progressive muscle relaxation can help to control trembling hands. When practiced correctly, it can restore calm and reduce anxiety, so that you can regain control of your body. 

Progressive muscle relaxation is a process that involves contracting and releasing the muscles.  When you feel anxiety coming on, here’s what to do: close your eyes, take deep breaths, and focus on contracting and releasing your muscles individually. Start from the jaw and work your way down to the shoulders, arms, core, legs, and toes. This exercise can release tension in the body naturally. When you finish this exercise, your mind and body may be relaxed enough for the shaking to stop.

Combat breathing exercise

This breathing exercise involving counts is known for its use in the military. It is a three-step routine that can help reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. It is also used to help with anger management. Here’s how it works:

First, you empty your lungs by breathing out as deeply as you can. Then, you breathe in through your nose for four seconds, as deeply into your lungs as possible. Hold the breath for seven seconds, and let it out from your mouth for eight seconds. Repeat the process four times or more until you feel calm and in control. The next time you feel nervous, you can practice the 4-7-8 breathing technique to bring the shaking or tremble under control. 

Exercise 

Exercising can be a good way to reduce anxiety levels. When you start exercising regularly, “happy” hormones known as endorphins are released in your body. These hormones counter feelings of depression and anxiety, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). Regular exercise also creates a way to expend nervous energy, thus lowering the likelihood of shakiness.

Meditation 

Meditation can be a strong tool for stress relief, both in the short and the long-term. The core tenets of meditation – focus, controlled breathing, and peaceful thoughts – can help individuals cope with bouts of anxiety. Regular meditation can help you control your breathing and relax your muscles. People who meditate regularly may be able to slip into meditation mode to help control trembling hands.

Acceptance 

When you begin to experience anxiety and shaking, you might feel that everyone is watching, which can exacerbate the issue. When you focus on your discomfort, you may begin to feel more anxious and fear the judgement of those around you. Your anxiety may heighten as a result, which can cause your hands to shake even more.

By practicing acceptance, you may be able to break this cycle. Accepting the situation can give you a feeling of control. For example, if you begin shaking, and then feel concern that others are watching or judging you for it, you may think, “I’m anxious, and I’m shaking. It’s alright. Anxiety is normal, and everyone has things they are working through. It’s ok.” These thoughts of acceptance can help relieve some of the anxiety and thus lessen the shaking.

Sleep

The hustle and bustle of everyday life has a way of taking over most of our focus, which can cause sleep problems. For example, some people work more than one job, and others may work night shifts that disturb their sleep rhythm. Still others may have difficulty sleeping due to stress or certain health conditions.

Still, sleep is a vital part of our lives. The National Sleep Foundation has found that many healthy adults require between seven to nine hours of sleep per night, though everyone differs.  Some people may function better on more or less sleep. 

Sleeping may not be a miracle cure for trembling or shaking. Still, it could help with managing your anxiety and reducing these symptoms. Many critical functions are carried out within our brains and bodies as we sleep such as processing the day’s events and repairing body tissues, for example. Without adequate sleep, our mental and physical health can be negatively impacted.

Yoga 

Some yoga poses might help in controlling nervous shakes and trembling. Yoga can relax the muscles and encourage calmness, both of which can benefit you whenever you start shaking. A recent study found that poses like sun salutations can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Treatment for hand tremors caused by medical conditions

There are many different treatment options for hand tremors that are caused by a physical or neurological medical condition.

• Medication: Medication may help reduce the severity of tremors.

• Lifestyle changes: Certain lifestyle changes, like getting enough sleep and reducing stress, may help eliminate certain triggers of hand tremors.  

• Botox: Botox temporarily stops hand tremors by relaxing the muscles responsible for the shaking. 

• Surgery: Surgery may help relieve hand tremors when medication and other treatments don’t work. Types of surgery used to treat hand tremors include deep brain stimulation and focused ultrasound. 

Benefits of therapy

Shaky hands can be caused by any number of factors, some more serious than others. Often, nervousness or anxiety are to blame. There are plenty of tools and techniques you can use to stop the shaking such as combat breathing, meditation, exercise, and progressive muscle relaxation. While shaking or trembling hands can make life more difficult, help is available when you need it. A licensed mental health professional may be able to help you get this symptom under control so you can enjoy a better quality of life. 

The very symptoms of anxiety you’re experiencing can be the same ones that keep you from seeking help, though. For example, shakiness or trembling might cause you embarrassment, which could make it difficult to meet with a therapist in person. Online counseling could be a more comfortable alternative for you since you can access sessions from home. This form of counseling is also more convenient for many people since appointments can be made day or night. 

Online therapy has been found effective in treating anxiety symptoms. A recent meta-analysis of studies highlighted the effectiveness of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy in treating various anxiety disorders. Researchers found no significant differences in terms of outcomes experienced by individuals who sought therapy online versus in person. 

Takeaway

Hand tremors can interfere with your daily activities, potentially making you feel even more anxious and distressed. Therapy can help address and treat the nervousness and anxiety that may be contributing to the problem.  Regain is here to assist you and offer solutions that can help you manage shakiness and anxiety. Reach out today to get started.