Morning stiffness is one of the most common symptoms experienced by Fibromyalgia sufferers. It is also a common complaint among those who have rheumatism and arthritis. According to the National Fibromyalgia Association, the main causes of morning stiffness are due to:
- a lack of physical activity/exercise on a daily basis.
- being overweight.
- not getting enough sleep.
- not eating a proper diet.
- being in a cold/damp environment.
To relieve morning stiffness, try these 10 tips to see if you notice an improvment.
- Make sure you are getting enough sleep so that your body can repair itself. Sleep either on your side or on your back. Sleeping on your stomach can cause strain on your back.
- Seal the windows or doors in your bedroom if the room is drafty. If your room is too cold, use a space heater or bundle up with extra blankets to prevent the cold from making your stiff.
- Do stretches lying and sitting up in bed to prevent stiffness.
- Take a hot shower. The hot water will cause sweating, which in turn will help blood circulation and release muscle spasms.
- After your hot shower, do knee bends 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 your joints limber.
- Drink the best water you can find. According to the NFA: “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.”
- Eat healthier by avoiding foods with artificial colors, enriched white flour, artificial sweeteners and flavors.
- Learn how to reduce stress and how to cope by not letting your problemsdisrupt your sleepingpattern.
- Exercise on a regular basis.
- Dress appropriately for thecold months.
I think your write up was probably a solid kick off to a potential series of articles about this topic. So many users act like they understand what they’re preaching about when it comes to this area and most of the time, nearly no one actually get it. You seem to grasp it however, so I think you need to start writing more. Thank you!
I have experienced morning stiffness but not that much. Very seldom. I am currently taking Vit B6 and B12. I think this helps lessen the morning stiffness attack.
“Get ample deep sleep?”……that’s one of the things Fibro prevents you from doing. Advice like thIs is frustrating. It’s like telling a blind person to “make sure you practice seeing each day”. It also trivializes what we go through, as if a good nights sleep is all we need. I would LOVE that to be true, but it’s not.
Better to have fewer “answers” than include ones that are condescending, even untintentionally.