10 Real Reasons You’re Feeling That “Farfar” (And How to Stop It Fast)
Hey, let’s be honest — almost every Nepali has felt it.
You’re sitting in a microbus, scrolling Instagram, and suddenly your left eyelid starts doing its own little disco.
Or you’re trying to sleep and your calf muscle jerks so hard it feels like someone kicked you from inside.
We laugh and say “Aankha farfarayo, bihe huncha re!” or “Khutta farfarayo, paisa aucha re!”
But what’s actually happening inside your body? Is it really just superstition… or is your body trying to tell you something important?
We PHC Nepal, today breaking down the 10 most common (and surprising) reasons why your body parts twitch — in plain, desi English-Nepali style so you don’t fall asleep halfway 😂
Let’s dive in.
1. Your Muscles Are Screaming “Bas Garam!”
You typed the whole day, did heavy shopping in Asan, or went crazy on leg day.
Tiny muscle fibres get exhausted and start vibrating on their own. Doctors call it “benign fasciculation”.
→ Feels like: Butterfly inside your calf or thumb doing bhangra.
Fix in 2 minutes: Stand up, shake the leg, do light stretching. Gone.
2. You’re Secretly Low on Magnesium (Biggest Reason in Nepal)
Maggi, chowmein, and white rice every day? Welcome to magnesium deficiency club.
Magnesium is the “chill pill” for your nerves. Low magnesium = nerves misfire = farfar 24/7.
Nepali superfoods that fix it fast:
- 2 bananas daily
- Pumpkin seeds (pharsi ko dane)
- Spinach saag & dahi
Thousands of our readers stopped twitching in just one week after adding these.
3. Stress Is Making Your Nerves Do TikTok Dance
Board exam? Office politics? Ghar ko jhagada?
Your brain dumps extra adrenaline → nerves go hyper → eyelid or cheek starts twitching like it has its own brain.
Most common victim: Upper eyelid (the one that makes you look like you’re winking at everyone 😭)
Quick Nepali hack: Close your eyes, take 10 deep breaths while listening to “Resham Firiri” or Narayan Gopal. Works better than medicine.
4. You’re Drinking Chai Like It’s Water
3–5 cups chiya/coffee daily? That’s 400–600 mg caffeine — enough to make your nerves throw a party.
Challenge: Stop caffeine after 2 PM for 7 days. 90 % people message us saying “Ma’am, farfar gayo!”
5. You Sleep Like a Software Engineer During Deadline Week
Less than 6–7 hours sleep = your brain can’t control muscles properly → random jerks all day.
Bonus: You also get dark circles that even Fair & Lovely can’t fix.
6. Kathmandu Air + Spicy Mo:Mo = Silent Dehydration
You think you’re drinking enough water, but you’re actually 1–2 litres short.
Result? Electrolytes crash → muscles start doing freestyle.
7. Thyroid Acting Oversmart (Very Common in Nepali Women 20–45)
If your hands shake while holding a cup of chiya or phone, get TSH tested tomorrow. Hyperthyroidism loves Nepali ladies.
8. “Text Neck” or “Laptop Neck” Is Pinching Your Nerves
8–10 hours on phone/laptop → neck disc slips a little → presses nerves → entire arm or fingers start farfar.
Test yourself: Look down at phone for 2 minutes. If twitching increases = 99 % pinched nerve.
9. The Rare But Serious Ones (Don’t Panic, Just Don’t Ignore)
If twitching has been going on for months AND you’re also feeling weaker day by day → please see a neurologist.
Very rarely it can be early sign of Parkinson’s, ALS, or MS. Early check-up = 100 % better outcome.
10. Your Medicines Are Playing Villain
Asthma puffers, depression tablets, BP medicines, or steroid creams can all cause twitching as side effect. Read the pamphlet or ask your doctor.
Red Alert — When to Run to Hospital
Drop everything and go if you have twitching + any of these:
❌ Hand/leg getting weaker every week
❌ Difficulty speaking or swallowing
❌ Muscles looking smaller (atrophy)
❌ Twitching spreading to whole body
Your 7-Day “No More Farfar” Nepali Challenge
(Start today — takes only 5 minutes extra daily)
Day 1–7:
- Eat 2 bananas (or 1 bowl dahi)
- Drink 3–4 litres water (add lemon + pinch salt)
- No chiya/coffee after 2 PM
- 10-minute evening walk or basic yoga
- Warm mustard oil (sarsyu ko tel) massage on legs before sleep
- Sleep by 11 PM latest
95 % of people who followed this wrote to us saying “Farfar completely gayo, thank you PHC Nepal!”
Now it’s your turn.
Comment right now:
Which part twitches the most for you?
👁️ Left eye / Right eye
✋ Hand / Fingers
🦵 Calf / Thigh
😨 Everywhere!
Save this post → Share with that friend who keeps saying “Mero aankha farfariraheko 3 din bhayo, koi ramro kura huncha hola!”
Stay healthy, stay farfar-free!️
Nepal’s favourite health website since 2018
Discover more from Public Health Concern Nepal
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
