There are many reasons why you could feel tight and achy in the morning. They don’t have to be serious. When you’ve just been lying still for a long time, already tight muscles tend to tighten more. Then again, you may have slept on an uncomfortable mattress or in an awkward position. Apart from these straightforward reasons, there are health conditions that will make you feel particularly tight upon waking. This blog discusses these health challenges, and provides a morning routine for achy joints that could benefit all. Moving your body gently in the morning will allow you to keep your mobility, flexibility and stability in the long term, as well as make you feel much better overall.
Which health conditions cause your joints to be stiff or achy when you get up?
Tightness and achy joints in the morning can be the result of a range of conditions. Firstly, unspecified lower back pain may feel worse after a night of lying still. Tightness in the morning can also be a symptom of chronic diseases such as fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. Further, there are inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and polymyalgia with these particular morning symptoms. Finally, hormonal changes such as decreased levels of oestrogen in the perimenopause can cause your joints to hurt.
Osteoarthritis is the wear-and-tear damage of your joints and typically reveals itself by achy and stiff joints after sleeping. The ache gradually improves with movement, and returns after inactivity. It’s a condition that I have written more about in this blog about hip osteoarthritis: https://beneyoga.co.uk/yoga-for-hip-osteoarthritis/.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome that causes fatigue, cognitive issues, and generalised tightness and pain especially in the morning. Polymyalgia may sound similar but is an inflammatory condition that causes particular tightness around the shoulders, neck and hips. Again, this tightness is worse in the morning or after inactivity.
Ankylosing spondylitis is another inflammatory condition, this time of the spine, and is explored with a yoga therapy lens here: https://beneyoga.co.uk/yoga-for-ankylosing-spondylitis-and-axial-spondyloarthritis/.
For joints to move easily and without pain, they need relaxed muscles and healthy cartilage and synovial fluid. The synovial fluid is actually produced by moving the joint in its whole range of movement. This means that it can be normal to feel stiff after inactivity. Indeed, the morning tightness usually eases after you’ve moved about. However, instead of waiting until the tightness subsides by itself, it’s more beneficial to move your body intentionally after you wake up. This is true regardless of the cause of your morning aches. Even if joints are inflamed, they will benefit from gentle mobilisation. Targeted stretches and movements will relieve your particular tightness or aches before the day starts and preserve your mobility, flexibility and ability to balance as you age.
After or before doing your practices, a warm shower can also help. During the day, don’t allow yourself to sit for too long. Get up at least once an hour.
Morning routine for achy joints:
The routine below starts in bed, follows by sitting on the side of the bed and then finishes standing. Don’t allow any of the movements to hurt, but stop right before you feel any pain. Achy joints will respond better to gentle, soothing movements and a slow and mindful way of working.
While still in bed:
Fingers and toes: Wiggle your toes and fingers. Move them in any way you like.
Hip Circles: Bring your knees up to your chest and circle them round, first both in the same direction and then in opposite directions. Five times each.
Sitting On the side of the bed: mobilise spine, shoulders and neck
You can do this sitting on the side of the bed, on a chair or on the floor. The idea is to mobilise your whole spine in the three different ways it can move:
Rotation: Rotate the spine round. The whole spine also includes your neck. Move round with the exhalation and return to look forward with the inhalation. Repeat a few times.
Side stretch: Inhale and lift your right arm, exhale and stretch to the left. Allow your head to move over as well. Inhale return to centre and move the left arm up. Exhale bend to the right. Repeat a few times to each side.
Flexion and extension: Interlace your fingers behind your head and arch your back with an exhalation. Inhale and return to centre or slightly lift the chest if that feels ok. Repeat a few times.
Standing: Release Spine, Shoulders and knees
Stretch your spine by lifting both arms with the inhalation. Lower them with the exhalation. Repeat a few times.
Shoulder circles: Place your hands on your shoulders and circle the elbows round a few times in each direction. Do this slowly while being aware of your breath.
Knee bends with half squats: Inhale and raise your arms. Exhale and bend the knees while lowering the arms. Repeat a few times. This practice is warming and energising.
There are many other movements that you can do. Specific neck stretches are explained in this blog: https://beneyoga.co.uk/releasing-neck-and-shoulder-tightness/.
For leg stretches, check out this blog: https://beneyoga.co.uk/the-importance-of-stretching-leg-muscles/.
I hope these practices will help you. Of course, everyone is different, and your tightness may require a different routine to be more effective. There are many different reasons why you may like to have your own, individualised programme. To start with, a very important part of any yoga practice is the way you do it, slowly, with full attention and the breath. Often, we need a teacher to help us with the breathing and to slow down. Also, you may feel you can’t do these particular exercises for some reason, or you don’t dare to do them by yourself. There are many alternatives with easier and harder variations. If you would like to be taught in person or online, and receive a tailored programme, I am here for you. Book a free consultation session via Zoom to discuss how yoga therapy can help you.
Namaste
