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How can I stop my hands shaking

243 Answers
Last Updated: 06/01/2022 at 9:16am
How can I stop my hands shaking
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Tracy-Kate Teleke, PsyD, M.A., LMFT

Marriage & Family Therapist

I assist adults and couples in CA experiencing relationship challenges and interpersonal struggles including anxiety, depression, and a myriad of other life challenges.

Top Rated Answers
AllieChamomile
June 22nd, 2018 11:39am
I personally like to play with a fidget toy to make sure the energy in my hands is actually focusing on something! :)
Yukihiko
June 28th, 2018 1:30pm
Shaking hands is usually a sign of anxiety or other illnesses. If the cause is anxiety, there are a lot of ways you can get rid of it, like calming yourself, relaxing, mindfulness (there's a lot of mindfulness here in 7 cups), meditating, light exercises, and a lot of other things.
Anonymous
June 29th, 2018 1:21am
Take a moment and focus on your breathing. In, and out. repeat that motion, deep breaths, in through your nose, out through your mouth.
Anonymous
January 13th, 2022 3:48am
A first step that you could potentially take is to determine the source of your hands shaking. By determining the cause of this habit, you could be able to come up with solutions or actions to take to minimize your shaking. For example, is there a certain location, time, or individuals that tend to "trigger" your hands to shake? I've also experienced frequent hand shaking before. After some reflection into my daily life, I realized that the source of my shakiness was due to anxiety. So to reduce my hands from frequently shaking, I determined sources of anxiety for me. You can try the same and see it it works for you.
mmpls23
July 1st, 2018 7:58pm
I practice 4×4 breathing. Close your eyes, lay your palms down on the bed or couch next to you, breathe in for 4 seconds, hold it for 4 seconds, then exhale for 4 seconds. I do them in sets of 4 and as I'm able I increase the exhale time.
Anonymous
November 4th, 2021 11:05pm
Honestly, my hands shake a lot. So do my legs. People have said it's anxiety, but I don't see how the two of those correlate. It could possibly be anxiety, so you could get help, or some physical problem. Also, don't drink too much coffee, and try to get good sleep, because I don't and I am quite shaky. I think that strong emotions or just gripping your hands too much can also cause something like it too. Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with me that's causing this other than sleep problems and anxiety, but try searching on the internet and if you have any related conditions to shaky hands.
Robynni
August 27th, 2021 8:40pm
I have a full body tremor! I'm entirely happy to talk about it, and I can totally relate! I try to concentrate on something else, myself. Sometimes when we focus enough, it can take away from the more irritating or negative parts we deal with. Of course, for mental situations we use mindfulness, grounding, etc. Which, if a root cause of shaking is anxiety, could work, but not always! I quite like picking up a pen and doodling on scrap paper! I can try to control my hands a little more, with a creative spark! Other hobbies could be used, too, of course. Gaming, reading, music, anything really! It's likely that, for me, I usually fixated on something worrying, or something triggering just happened, and I need to work through the feelings I gained from it.
Peony6
July 14th, 2021 6:33pm
When we experience anxiety or fear we pick up some compulsive habits such as feet tapping, nail biting or hand shaking. However, since we are talking exclusively about handshaking, it would be beneficial to know that sometimes hand shaking stems from nerve problems. In thay case it's highly recommended to consult a physician if the handshaking is severe and out of control. Now, come to the question of managing. We'll be first willing to stop it and for that willing to pay the price. The price is nothing but diligent practice and discipline. Firstly, we need observed at what time, for what and for how long our hands are shaking? What are the triggers behind? When did we pick up this habit? Once we know the reasons and trigger, we'll make ourselves equipped to before the handshaking occurs. We can divert ourselves by observing details of the surroundings or perhaps by eating a candy or engaging in a friendly conversation with others. We may also take measures to avoid the triggers for a time before we eliminate the root cause of this. This is it. Thank you so much for reading my answer and please pardon my grammatical erros. Have a good day!
Anonymous
July 18th, 2018 5:30am
Try foucusing on something else for example look around the room for 5 things you can see 4 things you can touch and so on.
KatieKittredge
July 28th, 2018 7:58pm
Control you breathing. Take a deep breath, hold it for 2 seconds, and slowly release it. Your hands will begin shaking less and after a few minutes will stop shaking.
3HereForYou3
July 28th, 2018 11:27pm
Drink lots of water, take deep breaths, try to stay as calm as possible, do things to distract you or talk with a person who you feel safe around whether that's on the phone via text or face-to-face.
GoodVibes3
October 11th, 2018 10:38pm
Take some deep breaths 123 in 123 out for as long as you need to. This will help calm you down, if this is something that constantly and consistently occurs and is interrupting your life you should visit a doctor or therapist to help you with the feelings that could be causing the shaking. Could you tell me what you are feeling and possibly why they started shaking, by doing this, we can work backwards hopefully making you feel safe and calm. I’m here to listen, I can’t give advice, although I can listen to what you have to say.
beccarc17
November 9th, 2018 5:08pm
Hands shaking can be caused from many different sources. In many cases, it is just a genetic factor that causes hands to shake in which cause it can be treated by medication. However, if it is caused by alcohol or caffeine, the only real way is to unfortunately reduce consumption. There may be more serious causes of hands shaking such as a problem with blood pressure, which would require you to seek professional help from a doctor. If it's caused by anxiety or nerves, you can focus on DBT skills such as breathing exercises. You may find these solutions help but each case is different !
eLucae
June 3rd, 2021 2:33pm
Hands shaking is multiple things, it could be stress, anxiety, or just something with your blood sugar. If you have a strong feeling that it may be stress, try to calm down. Try doing something that calms you down. If its something that has to do with people, leave the room. Go to a quiet space and take deep breathes. Its normal to feel overwhelmed in front of certain people if you need to do something.
thefuture12
April 15th, 2021 7:53am
Breathing. It helps to manage the feelings inside of you. Breahte in and breathe out. Think about how the air goes through your Lungs and how they end in your heart. Everytime you breathe out think about all the emotions you blow out in the same time. They dont need that much space in your heart. Now take your own hands and hold them. Your not alone, you have yourself. You are strong and powerful. Do the exercises one more time and breathe in and out. You feel the air everywhere in your body now. Your body is ready for working again.
JuliaNotJuliett
April 10th, 2021 11:53am
Shaking hands can be a result of plenty of issues, physical or emotional. If it's a physical issue, it would be best to see a physician (this kind of thing is usually related to stress or trauma suffered by the joints, and it happens from time to time, regardless of the surroundings). If the shaking is caused by an emotional/mental health issue, then it would be safe to try and identify the strongest emotion you are having, and concentrate on the source (e.g. If your hands are shaking because you are furious, where is the fury coming from? What can you do to stop it); more often than not though, this could be caused by something out of your control, such as stress or anxiety. I think that a short term solution would be trying out a few breathing techniques and seeing which one works for you, and a long time solution might be taking this issue to a therapist. Take care!
Anonymous
December 27th, 2018 7:20am
First, visit with your primary care doctor for an evaluation for physiological causes. If you doctor tells you it is not physically caused, it is time to think about your emotional and mental wellness. If the shaking is related to anxiety, you may want to consider professional psychotherapy. Psychotherapy can assist with understanding your stress levels and how to better cope with stressful situations. Also, proper sleep, exercise, and nutrition are important, as well as having supportive people in your life. Please also consider improving and strengthening your social connections through volunteering. There are many wonderful volunteering opportunities available in most communities.
HappinessGrows
January 10th, 2019 3:57pm
When my hands shake, it's often a sign to me that I am feeling nervous or anxious. I try to bring my hands together so that I feel more grounded in the moment and more in control, and I sometimes gently press the fingers of one hand against those of another. This gives me something to focus on initially and then becomes an unconscious movement that I seem to do until I feel better. Feeling that I have more control over the movement helps me to realise that I am safe and I begin to feel stronger and calmer.
Anonymous
March 28th, 2021 10:15am
Put your hands on your lap, take deep breathes, and count to 10. Close your eyes if you need to. You may have just finished panicking which is completely okay. Just take deep breathes, drink some water if you need to, and think of your happy place. This can be a childhood home, a park you would go to with your friends, or just anywhere that brings you peace. After that I want you to think of some people that have really impacted your life in a positive way. Think about why they are so important to you and just by doing these few things it can go a long way in getting your hands to slowly stop shaking.
shiningSoul45
February 17th, 2019 6:06am
To stop shaking and jittery hands, take three deep, slow breaths. Breath in through the nose, and out through the mouth. Clench your fists on the inhale, and un-clench your fists on the exhale. Then release your fists gently. Scan your body for any areas of tension. If you are feeling a tense spot, focus on the area and imagine the muscle loosening. Facial areas, including the toung and jaw are often holding un-noticed tension. Repeat this exercise until any tension is gone. If your hands stop shaking, but jitters persist, look up to the sky for one continuous minute.
Anonymous
February 23rd, 2019 5:28am
Take a deep breath and try to relaxe your mind. Take some water if you need it. Be calm and smile. Thinking about your happy memories can be help to. Do your best and don't be anxious. You can do this. I believe in you. You do you.
Anonymous
September 12th, 2019 8:37am
Depends on why it's shaking . It can be for medical reasons , even spiritual ( if you're open minded on the subject ) , or simply anxious. I'll speak about the last one because I trust it's more common . If it is anxiety that makes your hands tremble , I advise you to seek help so that you can control the anxiety . Because as long as your heart is in tense , you can't help it. But if you're not anxious at all , then maybe going for check up would be a good idea.
lovingEnergy7800
November 30th, 2019 10:26am
Crossing your arms could work if you're standing up. Otherwise clasping your hands together or putting them under your legs could help with the actual shaking. I know these responses are highly superficial and seem a little weak but honestly I have always found them to be helpful in the past. Thinking about what is causing the shaking too could help, by allowing you to acknowledge the root cause of your anxiousness. Once you have done this, think rationally through all the things you could do to address this area. Know that your body protects you and that you are safe.
MichelFA
October 23rd, 2019 9:36pm
It depends on why your hands are shaking. I have an essential tremor which means that my hands constantly shake, I've found ways to make it better like using more of my upper arm to control what I'm doing with my hands. If your hands are shaking because of anxiety, I have found that taking some time to calm down and recentre works wonders for anxiety; finding the time to take a few calming breaths and ground myself helps me when my hands get shaky from anxiety. If you still experience shakiness even after trying many tactics to prevent them from doing so, I'd recommend seeing your primary care doctor.
Brendoodlee
June 5th, 2020 1:56pm
Sit down or try to get comfortable, try to breath slowly in and out, hold onto something steady if possible, and see if you can find out why you're shaking, know that its nothing bad and everyone has it happen in their lives, maybe try to stretch your hands a little, see if you can eat something and make sure your thought are something else than what you're currently thinking about, put on something on tv, listen to music, maybe even dance a little to relax your musles! Perhaps wash your hands with some cold water so you keep your hands busy too
PacificDreams
June 24th, 2020 7:41pm
If your hands are shaking from nervousness or anxiety, try some deep breathing. Inhale through your nose to the count of 7, then hold for a count of 5, now exhale through. your mouth for a count of 7. Repeat this several times. Calming your nervous system can also be done with really cold water on your face. Either place your face in a bowl of water or use a very cold wet cloth over an icy compress. In both cases, be sure the cold water is covering from your chin to over your eyes. Try to keep your face submerged for as long as you can. 20-30 seconds if possible. This is a really big help for me and you can find many examples of this technique online.
Anonymous
July 3rd, 2020 4:02am
There are a few different explanations for why someone's hands can shake. For me personally, this usually happens as a consequence of social anxiety and performance anxiety. If this is the case for you, try out the following, it has worked for me in the past! Take a second to simply focus on you're breathing. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and try to relax. Think a happy thought, think about doing something that you do routinely, count to 10 if you have to. If it is social anxiety that is causing your hands to shake, try to channel the comfort you feel when you are by yourself. Overall, try to relax, and remember, you got this!
Anonymous
July 10th, 2020 3:12am
Clench your fists as hard as you can for a few seconds. Notice the tension in your body. Then, let go. Let your hands and arms flop down and notice how that feels. Do it a few times, focusing only on those sensations. If this doesn't work, drink some water and make sure you've eaten enough. Sometimes shaking is not from anxiety but from something physical like low blood sugar, caffeine, dehydration, etc. Take care of your body! If nothing is working you may just have to wait a while. Use a distraction like a walk, a book, or talking with a friend to take your focus off the discomfort.
Bxnbxn
July 18th, 2020 3:31am
When my hands start to shake, I sit up and stretch my arms. I put my left arm across my chest and use my right hand to grab my left elbow. After I do this for both arms, I rotate my shoulders and pull them back, keeping them relaxed. I then rest my hands in my lap and take long, deep breaths, imagining myself squeezing a stress ball. The most important thing is to breathe, in and out, deep breaths. Try not to panic if the shaking doesn’t go away. It takes a little bit of time, and with practice, you will have more control over your reaction to it.
Anonymous
August 30th, 2019 12:38pm
try to be calm thats the best thing you can do. The more you think about different things and whole lot different situations you gonna just stress out yourself and nothing much than that. So its better to leave things some times in order to move on and think for self instead of being anxious about things, you cant do anything about...! Other than that, try to solve your problems as of you are solving basic maths so that you can really achieve something on working out on self. Try to get good sleep, try to go out and try to live alone sometimes.