Shaky hands, also called hand tremors, usually come with age, though they are sometimes caused by anxiety or are the symptoms of underlying neurological conditions. However, tremors are not life-threatening; more than anything, they can just be annoying and embarrassing especially when you are in public. The good news is that they can usually be treated with ease. There are many ways to stop shaky hands or at the very least reduce their occurrences so as to gain back control over your hands.

How to Stop Shaky Hands with Natural Remedies

1. Ditch Your Smoking Habit

Nicotine from cigarettes is another big reason for shaky hands. Keep smoking will only worsen pre-existing hand tremors. If you are a smoker and want to get rid of your shaky hands, make it a point to quit smoking altogether. You can see a doctor or use various remedies to help you cope with the withdrawal stage.

2. Limit Caffeine Intake

Eliminating caffeine completely from your diet would help a lot with reducing and controlling your hand tremors. However, if you really cannot do without drinking coffee, try to cut it down to a minimum. Caffeine targets your nervous system to keep you awake, so consuming it excessively could cause your hands to shake.

3. Limit Your Alcohol Intake

Similarly, too much alcohol content in your system will cause your hands to shake because of its effect on your nerves. Keep your drinking to a minimum, or better yet, you might want to stop drinking alcohol altogether. If you suffer from an alcohol addiction, it would be best to seek professional help in order to keep yourself under control.

4. Double-Check Your Medication

It is possible that some of your medications could have shaking hands as one of their unwanted side effects. Check out the labels on your pills, or seek expert advice regarding the full effects of your medications on shaky hands. If it turns out that drugs are in fact causing your tremors, your doctor could recommend a lower dosage or provide an alternative to your pills. This is one essential solution of how to stop shaky hands.

5. Monitor Your Blood Sugar

Low sugar levels may cause a drop in your energy and your hands to shake beyond your control. Though it might be tempting to just eat more sugary food to remedy the problem, this quick fix will actually do you and your body more harm than good. The sugar will cause a sharp increase in your blood sugar, followed immediately by a drastic decrease. This will not only cause you to lose control of your hands, but will make you weaker than you originally were. A better solution for this would be to eat carbohydrates that can be digested by your body slowly, such as fruits and cereals.

6. Take Your Vitamins

Vitamins B1, B6, B12, and E are all necessary to maintain a healthy nervous system. Make sure to include them in your diet to prevent or lessen the occurrence of your hand tremors.

7. Don’t Forget Your Mineral Supplements

Calcium promotes blood circulation and aids in muscle contraction, potassium controls both muscle and nerve activity, and magnesium helps prevent muscle spasms. Ask for your doctor's permission before taking these mineral supplements.

8. Drink Tea Regularly

Hand tremors can also occur because of anxiety. To keep things under control, it might help to drink green or chamomile tea on a regular basis to relax yourself. You can also grind some valerian root and soak the paste in warm water to make your own tea. Alternatively, applying eucalyptus, tea tree, or lavender oils on your forehead could be another answer for how to stop shaky hands.

9. Do Exercise

Yoga is a great way to manage stress and minimize tremors. You can also try other activities like swimming, jogging, and even just walking. The physical activity will help you maintain lower stress levels and an over-all healthier body. If you want to take a break from your full-body workouts, you can just use a stress ball to release your tension. Try squeezing the ball for at least ten minutes for maximum effect.

10. Practice Breathing Exercises

An adrenaline rush can also cause you to shake your hands and legs. If you start shaking because you are stressed or nervous, an easy fix would be to take deep, even breaths. Doing so will stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system, helping you cope with the excess adrenaline and allowing your shaking to subside.

11. Sleep Well

Adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night, while teenagers need about 8.5 to 9.5 hours. It is important to get the recommended amount of sleep every night as this will leave you feeling well-rested and will reduce your body’s fatigue and stress levels, decreasing the chances of you getting tremors.

12. Lift Heavy Objects

It sounds counter-intuitive, but lifting heavy objects can help stabilize your hands and reduce the occurrence of tremors. You can even tie weights around your wrists to steady your shaking. Take note that this is only a temporary remedy and will not cure your tremors completely. However, it’s an easy and effective way of controlling your hands when the shaking starts to become uncontrollable.

How to Stop Shaky Hands with Medical Treatment

The most effective way to stop shaky hands is to take beta-blockers such as propranolol or atenolol. These will keep the tremors under control and stop them from being disruptive as you go through your daily activities. However, you will need to take these constantly, as stopping the medication will cause the shaking to return.

Other effective medications may include primidone, lorazepam, and gabapentin. In a few rare cases, doctors may use botulinum toxin – botox – when the patient is unresponsive to other medications.