Feeling stiff when you wake up is normal; see how to relieve the symptom

If you often wake up with stiff muscles, creaking joints, or the general feeling that your body just isn’t as flexible as it was when you went to bed, the first thing you should know is that you’re not alone.

Waking up stiffly is “an almost universal human experience,” said Maryclaire Capetta, a physical therapist and assistant professor in the department of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut. And it is quite common for this to happen every day, she added.

While the feeling of stiffness in the morning is normal and usually dissipates quickly, it is also uncomfortable while it lasts. The good news, experts say, is that there are a few tricks you can use — when you feel stiff and even before the feeling sets in — to help you get some relief faster.

Most of the time, this feeling of tension upon waking is a result of nightly changes in the lubrication of two different features of the body: the joints and fascia.

Fascia is a complex group of connective tissues that surround and support muscles, soft tissues, organs and bones.

Think of fascia as a fibrous web that wraps around and traverses muscle tissue to provide structure and stability. It forms multiple layers, interspersed with a gel-like lubricant that allows those layers to glide on smoothly, and helps you feel loose and flexible, said Antonio Stecco, a fascia researcher and professor of rehabilitation medicine at New York University.

In certain situations — such as when your body temperature drops, if you’re standing still for a long time, or when lactic acid builds up in your muscles and fascia during intense exercise — the lubricant becomes thicker and more viscous and the fascia layers don’t they slide so easily, leading to the feeling of stiffness.

When you sleep, many of these situations occur: you are usually still for a long time (say eight hours) and your body temperature tends to drop.

Your joints can also contribute to feeling stiff in the morning. In healthy joints, a thick fluid lubricates the space between the ends of bones, which are covered in cartilage to help them move freely and comfortably.

Whenever you’re still for an extended period of time (like when you’re sleeping), the cartilage sucks up the lubricant like a sponge, Capetta said, making your joints creak.

how to feel better

The good news is that the remedy for morning stiffness — whether it’s caused by fascia or joints — is the same: movement.

While you are still in bed and lying on your back, start by doing a full-body stretch, like a cat or dog when it wakes up, extending your legs and arms in opposite directions.

Then try pointing and flexing your toes, or just stretching your arms and torso by stretching. To bring fluid back to your joints, try gently bending and unfolding your knees and elbows, rotating your wrists and ankles, or gently rocking your head from side to side.

If you still feel stiff after getting out of bed, try marching in place, and continue to flex joints that feel stiff, Capetta said.

If your back and sides are tight, you can try a gentle stretch, such as a forward bend toward your toes with your knees slightly bent, or side bends, in addition to cat and cow yoga poses. .

Studies suggest that regular yoga practice can be effective in reducing discomfort associated with joint and muscle stiffness and chronic back pain. Do what feels good.

If you have a dog, going out with him first thing in the morning can get your body fluids flowing and help you feel agile faster. If it’s cold in the morning, try taking a hot shower.

While it’s healthy and normal to feel a little tense after a night out, you may feel even stiffer if your initial flexibility is already limited. You can lessen this by doing flexibility exercises and maintaining an active lifestyle in general.

If you don’t already stretch regularly, adding up to 15 minutes of stretching to your day can help you feel less stiff when you wake up, Stecco said. If you work sitting in front of your computer, try to move around and change positions throughout the day.

Translated by Luiz Roberto M. Gonçalves