Don’t worry, that feeling will only last for a few minutes and then everything will feel normal again.

I’m an exercise physiologist – a scientist who studies what happens to our bodies when we move and exercise. In fact, paresthesia is a completely normal and harmless sensation that everyone experiences from time to time. Even though it’s not causing any permanent damage, you might still want to avoid the uncomfortable feeling that comes when your foot falls asleep. They imagine the “asleep” feeling happens when your blood, which carries nutrients all over your body, is unable to get to your foot.When your foot falls asleep, there is something wrong with the communication between your brain and the muscles in that area. Every time you decide to move your body, whether it’s standing up, walking around or playing sports, your brain sends signals to your muscles to make sure they move correctly. The “falling asleep” feeling of parasthesia is rarely painful and, as sites like Healthline, Medlineplus and MayoClinic point out, the duration is usually only a few seconds.

In particular, they cannot substitute for the examination, advice, or treatment by a licensed physician or pharmacist. The nerves in your body act like tiny phone wires, carrying electrochemical messages back and forth between your body and your brain.

Remember, it’s these nerves that carry messages back and forth to let your brain and your foot communicate with each other.