Legs Fall Asleep on the Toilet? Here’s What to Do About It

Ever notice that your legs or feet go numb or tingle when you’ve spent too much time on the toilet? Those sensations are usually nothing to worry about, but they can be uncomfortable.

Here, discover the mistakes you might be making that cause those pesky pins and needles, and learn how to stop your legs from falling asleep on the toilet.

Niket Sonpal, MD, a New York-based internist and gastroenterologist, shares several common causes of numb feet and legs on the toilet.

1. You’re Straining

Straining to push during a bowel movement increases pressure within the abdomen and spinal column, Dr. Sonpal says.

This pressure can sometimes cause the spinal disks to move against nerves in the spine, leading to numbness, weakness, and tingling in the legs and feet, he explains.

2. You’re Not Sitting With Good Posture

You’re more likely to lose feeling in your lower extremities when you practice poor posture.

“Sitting on the toilet in an awkward position can compress nerves or blood vessels, resulting in the pins-and-needles sensation,” Sonpal says.

Slumping is a common culprit. If you tend to read on the toilet, you may be especially prone to this problem.

“Most people tend to hunch over during a bowel movement, which hinders blood flow to the nerves in your pelvis. These nerves also stretch down to your feet, explaining why someone might feel the tingling sensation even in their toes,” Sonpal says.

3. You’re on the Toilet for Too Long

Numbness and tingling just get worse the longer you camp out on the toilet, Sonpal says. So, if you’re struggling with constipation, you might notice pins and needles in your lower body as time ticks away.

If pins and needles are making your bathroom time unpleasant, know there are ways to tamp down the tingling.

Just keep in mind that if you’re experiencing persistent numbness, you should seek the help of a medical professional, as this could be a sign of an underlying medical issue.

1. Don’t Hunch

“Hovering in a hunched position can be hard on the pelvic floor muscles, preventing the colon from fully relaxing and passing stool effortlessly,” Sonpal says. That can mean you’ll need more time to poop, which could lead to leg numbness.

“The best way to prevent losing feeling in the legs and feet is to sit in the proper, relaxed position,” Sonpal adds.

The ideal posture is sitting upright with your knees higher than your hips.

2. Don’t Linger

Sonpal recommends spending no more than 5 to 10 minutes on the toilet. “If you are straining to pass the stool, get up and try again in 15 minutes,” he says.

Remember: “Bowel movements should be easy, quick and effortless,” Sonpal says.

If that’s not the case for you, you may need to drink more water and add more foods high in fiber to your diet to loosen and soften poop.

3. Get a Toilet Stool

Propping your feet up on a bathroom stool can help open the rectal canal, which means less straining, easier bowel movements, and a shorter time on the toilet, Sonpal says.

4. Try a Toilet Cushion

Toilet cushions or padded toilet seats can give the buttocks and pelvic region a bit of extra freedom to move while seated, improving blood flow to the feet, according to Sonpal.

The Takeaway

• Toilet habits, such as straining during a bowel movement, hunching over, or camping out for too long, can compress nerves and blood vessels in the spine and pelvis, leading to numbness or tingling in the legs and feet.
• To prevent leg or foot numbness on the toilet, you want to avoid hunching — sit upright with your knees higher than your hips — and keep your toilet sessions to no more than 10 minutes.
• Tools like a toilet stool or toilet cushion can also help keep legs and feet comfortable.