Why am I stiff in the morning?

So, this might be an age related thing, but nearly 42 and lately every morning when I wake up I’m very stiff … in my lower back. Some mornings are worse than others, but this morning was particularly bad. So much so that I couldn’t bend down to pick things off the floor.

I’m guessing stretching is the answer – but what kind of stretches and when? Should I be doing them the night before? I spend most of my day sitting at a keyboard but I do try to get up and move around frequently.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Does the wife complain?

erotic dreams ..?

I’d say strength and conditioning rather than stretching. Yoga or pilates could be a good start. Especially if you can find somewhere that makes you break a sweat rather than making shapes

Have you got a decent pillow?

You are suffering from a common medical condition known as TMB.

Too many birthdays.

I’d say strength and conditioning rather than stretching. Yoga or pilates could be a good start. Especially if you can find somewhere that makes you break a sweat rather than making shapes

Both strength and stretching are equally important. If you do strength without stretching you’re just asking for long lasting, lingering injuries. Do both. If you’re waking up with a sore back, your mattress may not be right for you. Before looking for another one try doing core exercises and back and leg stretches. With stretching, you have to do it every day. Be religious about doing them and don’t stop. There are lots of decent videos on youtube about which ones to do etc.

I’m guessing stretching is the answer

Yes, IME anything that makes you stretch and use the muscles in your lower back will help. Gentle lunges, squat, twisting, a few pushups, planking for 20 or 30 seconds. Basically just move the muscles through their full range of movement with moderate stress. Obviously, you need a gentle warm-up first.

I found that as I got older post exercise (esp hockey – bent over sport) stretches made all the difference the next day, also can you try a different mattress, a different one helped the mrs.

Stretching makes you better at stretching there is no evidence it does any good but simply going through a range of movements slowly as you rise, acts to warm the muscles up and restore their flexibility through blood flow etc. As Hols2 suggests above.

new mattress.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/12/mattress-landfill-crisis-recycling-nightmare

Changing the mattress isn’t happening, it’s relatively new, cost a small fortune and I find it really comfy.

I find it really comfy.

clearly.

do you drink enough water

Ha, well it’s comfy to sleep on … which I struggle with anyway. We’ve had the mattress a couple of years now, and the back issue is something thats been coming on recently, so I’m struggling to see how the mattress is having an impact.

I used to get this to the point of having to pretty much roll out of bed. Resolved it by doing the yoga videos off the Pinkbike website regularly for a few weeks. No longer a problem.

Going on what my Physio told me in a similar situation: Chances are it’s not lower back, it’s tight hamstrings and/or glutes. Stretch those and deal with any knots/stuck points with a foam roller or massage ball.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/12/mattress-landfill-crisis-recycling-nightmare

Sustainability police attack every thread on here these days. Alright we’ll all sleep on the floor.

Alright we’ll all sleep on the floor.

You need to read the article – no-one is saying people should sleep on the floor.

Stretching and pilates or yoga will help.

I started pilates a couple of years ago for similar reasons and im more flexible, slightly taller and with less backpain than before despite now being 46.

I got “sent” by my wife to local pilates studio as I was moaning about feeling stiff and generally old and had a couple of one to one sessions to start. I got a home routine that I do 4 times a week for 15 mins and I do what they call a studio session once a week now which is like a class but they give you individual excercises based on your issues rather than a generic everyone in the class does the same stuff thing.

im a believer despite myself!!

I used to get this to the point of having to pretty much roll out of bed

Viagra will solve that for you.

You’ll also find that underpants with very stretched elastic are much easier to put on without having to bend over.

Could be some sort of feline auto-immune thing going on?

What are you doing the nights before?

My recent 6 month lower back ordeal was the result of stepping up my training on the bike without doing the necessary strength work e.g. was hammering away on the turbo but because glutes were weak my lower back was having to do a lot more work than it should, resulting in low back pain, stiffness and eventual spasm and even a herniated disc! Always noticed the stiffness most in the mornings.

I’m now very much of the belief that your the whole hip/glute complex does so much to protect your lower back, even my physio seems quite disdainful of standard ab and lower back strength work, think her general theory is that these muscles need only be strong enough to keep you upright, and that the glutes should be isolating your lower back from most of your pedalling forces etc.

lately every morning when I wake up I’m very stiff

Changing the mattress isn’t happening, it’s relatively new,

I mean, i’m not a detective or anything but……

I’ve had lower back and hip pain for a couple of years now, when its bad I’m basically crippled and I can’t breathe properly. It is something to do with the SI joint alignment / glutes / hips / lower back system. I’m doing a reasonable amount of yoga and strengthening exercise but its not gone, its mostly managaeble

I have started sleeping with one of these and trying to change my sleep position from fetal to on my back:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07CG5W3WG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It hurt alot for the first two nights, after a couple of months if I sleep without it I have a much worse back in the morning. My sportsm says I shouldn’t be trying to put more curve into my lower back, but exercise to release hip flexors and sleep without it definitely make it worse.

Is it definately muscular? Any joint issues? Arthritis been ruled out? The rheumatoid flavour

Rotate your mattress.

On the mattress waste thing, there was a bit on radio4 this morning about how they’re using the vast piles of foam ones in Syrian refugee camps as an effective medium in which to grow veggies hydroponically.

It’s nothing to worry about, it’s called morning glory.

On the mattress waste thing, there was a bit on radio4 this morning about how they’re using the vast piles of foam ones in Syrian refugee camps as an effective medium in which to grow veggies hydroponically.

Yeah but that doesn’t fit the Guardian’s need to berate everyone daily for doing something bad. So mattresses are BAD, OK!

Yeah but that doesn’t fit the Guardian’s need to berate everyone daily for doing something bad. So mattresses are BAD, OK!

Getting a free mattress every 100 days is bad…

Reading all these comments seems to be the same for me:

Tight hamstrings / weak glutes / weak hip flexors
If I run the day before I’m aching when I get out of bed. Although I should stretch a lot more after running than I do.
Lying on the sofa watching TV doesn’t do me any favours either

My mattress is circa 5 years old and always turned, although I’m sure the pillows should be replaced

I’d say strength and conditioning rather than stretching

I’d agree with this. I’m the opposite of Weasel, since I started running a decent amount of miles a week, and getting a lot of strength work in, I bounce out of bed much better than I ever did when I was not as fit.

My first year of running (off-road) was a bit of a lottery each morning – a few mornings I’d spring out of bed, most others it’d be a sharp intake of breath as I put weight on my legs, or just collapse in a heap.

bent over sport

I say this on every similar thread and tbh I’m boring myself 😂 but – yoga. Every day (even if only for 10 mins). And squats.

Could be some sort of feline auto-immune thing going on?

The really bad type by the sound of it. What bikes am I calling dibs on?

I have been stretching and working on balancing muscles for a while, still have stiffness in my back in the morning. Started doing a variation on this routine for a while and does seem to help. Certainly gets rid of stiffness after doing them in the morning, and does seem to be helping prevent.

8 Morning Exercises You Should Do as Soon as You Get Out of Bed