When I wake up in the morning, I stretch and groan a little as my body lets me know all the areas that have been working hard and are feeling the strain of day to day life. I also look at my dog, as she gets up in the morning and does the same sort of body stretches before she starts her day and she’s young and fit! So is this morning pain and stiffness normal?
As we get older our bodies need movement to allow circulation and joint fluid, to reach all the important areas. Overnight even in a very supportive bed, this circulation is reduced and our body temperature drops. This specifically effects our joints and fascia. Fascia is the connective tissue that supports all parts of our body from muscles to organs and bones. It has multiple layers, with a gel-like lubricant in between that allows the layers to slide, but when we sleep this lubicant becomes thicker and less mobile, so the fascia “feels tight”. The good news is, if you lengthen your body by stretching toes to fingertips out, before you get up, you can restore some of this lubrication very quickly.
If you have specific areas that are sore each morning, this may need more specific exercises or management. If you are over 50 years old you may find recovery from physical activity takes longer and sometimes our joints can have some wear and tear as a natural result of work and exercise. Try using heat packs before sleeping and doing some exercises for tight areas to assist more restful sleep and reduce pain and stiffness in these areas next morning.
So, a little soreness and stiffness is normal as we get older, and this is or body telling us to keep moving and active. Your health professional can give you specific exercises for your body and health, but some examples are:
- Yoga and whole-body slow stretches are a great way to start you day
- Swimming, walking or riding a bike for some cardio and general circulation
- Strength exercise to support our joints
- Good sleep patterns for muscle and joint recovery
- Healthy diet and adequate water intake to allow nutrition and repair
