A good morning stretch

Put your legs up in the air like these students and gently jiggle them to ‘wake’ the muscles up. Do a few ankle rotations, then clench and spread your toes. — Filepic

As we get older, most of us cannot simply spring out of bed when the alarm rings or when morning comes.

This is as jumping out of bed could possibly lead to a pulled muscle!

Even the young adults tend to wake up with tight muscles, and perhaps a creaky joint here and there.

It’s perfectly normal.

Sleep naturally causes some morning stiffness, as your body has remained inactive for a long period of time.

When you’re asleep, there’s less blood flow to your muscles and less lubrication in your joints.

That’s why most people are a little slower when getting out of bed.

Similar to when you take long drives or sit in front of the computer for endless hours, the body momentarily feels stiff when you stand up.

As for me, there’s a distinct disconnect between my brain and tongue when I rise, I’m unable to speak what my mind wants to say – the words spill out slowly, if at all!

Certain awkward sleeping positions can also strain the muscles and restrict blood flow, leading to stiffness and discomfort when you wake up.

Starting your day by moving your body with light stretches helps to increase circulation, lubricate joints and alleviate stiffness.

And you can do this in bed, before your feet even touch the floor!

Plus, the soft surface of your mattress provides extra cushioning and support, making it conducive to perform these stretches.

Besides, these exercises can energise you, setting a positive tone for the day.

Stretching also activates the parasympathetic nervous system and puts us in a more relaxed state.

It should take no more than five to 10 minutes to get your body limbered up when you do the simple stretches shown here.

However, don’t stay in these positions for more than 30-45 seconds, or you’ll want to head back to sleep!

If you’re experiencing aches and stiffness consistently, or for extremely long durations, it could be caused by other factors such as dehydration, stress, poor mattress and/or pillow quality, vitamin D deficiency, restless sleep or insomnia, a hard workout the night before, or perhaps an infection or inflammation.

If the stiffness still doesn’t go away despite stretching, try having a warm shower.

A dose of warmth to the body will open up the blood vessels, promote blood flow and help tense muscles relax.

Should the stiffness worsen, then it’s best to consult your doctor to check for any underlying medical problem.

And yes, regular moderate activity, i.e. moving throughout the day, is not only recommended for general health and well- being, but is also useful in reducing the stiffness you feel in the morning.

Revathi Murugappan is a certified fitness trainer who tries to battle gravity and continues to dance to express herself artistically and nourish her soul. For more information, email [e-mail]. The information contained in this column is for general educational purposes only. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.