When it comes to waking up a little “stiff” and painful in the morning, many people will often say, “I’m just getting old,” but old age alone does not cause morning joint stiffness. It is usually an indication of worn joints, muscle tightness, or inflammation from arthritis.
As your joints get older, the spongy cushion of cartilage begins to dry out and stiffen. The joint lining also produces less synovial fluid, which lubricates the joint. Weak muscles and stiff tendons also tend to tighten during sleep. Osteoarthritis, (the “wear and tear” kind), and rheumatoid arthritis, (which involves swelling and inflammation), both can trigger morning stiffness.
The average episode lasts only about 10 to 15 minutes. The stiffness goes away as you move and warm up the joints and muscles. However, stiffness from rheumatoid arthritis may last more than an hour.
Here are a few tips to get your joints warmed up and wake up happier, healthier and pain free:
1. Sleep – Be sure to get ample deep sleep so your body can repair and recharge. Forget about those troubles or conversations or tasks that need addressing; they can be handled tomorrow. Also, be sure to sleep either on your side or on your back, as stomach sleeping causes unnecessary stress on the low back and spine.
2. Check the Temperature – If your room is drafty, seal the windows or door. If it is cold, try a space heater or use extra blankets to prevent that cold or dampness from stiffening your body.
3. Bed Stretches – Do some easy stretches while lying in bed, then sitting up in bed, such as bending to the front and sides. This will stretch and loosen the muscles and help flush them with more blood.
4. Shower Your Joints – Taking a hot shower serves as a means to induce sweating, promotes blood circulation, and releases muscle spasms. Simply stand under the warm water and relax. After you are warmed up from the shower, do some gentle knee bends. You can hold on to something for balance if needed. These movements exercise almost 90 percent of the skeletal muscles…
…Next, find a counter, table, or chair and use your hands for support. Exhale and squat as low as you can go, then inhale and stand up again. Do 10 of these to get the morning blood flowing and keep the creaky joints silent.
5. Water, Water and More Water – Drink the best water you can find. Often the tap water in our cities is not the freshest or safest. Even cities like Los Angeles have traces of psychiatric medicines and estrogen-like compounds in their tap water and these toxins can build up in your system over time, causing pain. It is advisable to drink either bottled water or reverse osmosis filtered water.
6. Eat REAL Foods – Cut down on simple carbohydrates and start reading labels to avoid consuming more toxins. Simply eliminate all foods with artificial color, enriched white flour, and artificial flavors/sweeteners (high fructose corn syrup, crystalline fructose and aspartame). If you don’t know what it is, or have difficulty pronouncing it, avoid ingesting it.
7. Step in the name of Stiffness – Regular exercise can help a lot with the stiffness. Even a simple routine of 10,000 steps a day will greatly improve your health. If you need a little less stress on your knees, walk in a shallow pool and get your body moving that way. You’re body will definitely thank you for it…
Talk to your doctor about morning stiffness, medications, and how to change your routine if you need to. If you have children who depend on you in the morning, delegate if possible. That’s the bottom line — try things, make adjustments, and keep doing it until you get morning stiffness to a level that is as good as it can be.
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