Numbness is the loss of feeling in part of your body. When your foot falls asleep from sitting cross-legged too long, that tingling sensation is numbness beginning or ending. The affected area feels strange and distant, like it belongs to someone else. You might touch your numb foot and barely feel it, or try to wiggle your toes and find they respond sluggishly.

Physical numbness usually happens when pressure cuts off blood flow or nerve signals. Winter cold can make your fingers numb, which is why you wear gloves. Dentists deliberately create numbness with anesthetic injections so patients won't feel pain during dental work.

The word also describes an emotional state where you stop feeling things as strongly as you normally would. After hearing shocking news, someone might feel emotionally numb, as if their feelings have temporarily shut down to protect them from being overwhelmed. A person experiencing this kind of numbness might describe feeling hollow or disconnected, going through the motions of daily life without their usual emotional responses. This emotional numbness usually fades as someone processes difficult experiences, but it can also signal the need for help from a counselor or trusted adult.