8 Tips and Tricks for Arthritics Who Suffer from Morning Stiffness
Arthritis can make mornings more difficult than ever for seniors to manage. Stiffness, pain, and immobility are so common that having these symptoms for an hour or more after waking up is part of their daily routine. And once they’re off to such a tough start, everything else in your morning routine feels so much harder. It can be frustrating because arthritis can’t be cured. Thankfully, there are some tips that help to ease arthritis morning stiffness, reduce frustration, and enjoy a full and active day ahead!
1. Start with a stretch
Upon waking, do some light stretching before you get out of bed. A gentle stretch can make a big difference in your mobility as you start your day. Stretch your arms above your head and point your toes. Roll your ankles gently side to side. Rock your hips left to right, then bend, and straighten your knees.
2. Let then sunshine in
Open your blinds or curtains as soon as you wake up. The natural sunlight sends signals to your brain and body to wake up. Exposure to sunlight increases your brain’s release of a hormone called serotonin, which is associated with boosting mood and helping you feel calm and focused.
3. Heat things up
Heat can work wonders for soothing stiff and achy joints. Try using a warming blanket or heating pad to warm your body in the morning. Take a warm shower or toss your clothes in the dryer before getting dressed. The warmth will sooth your joints.
4. Take a morning walk
Movement is important for joint fitness but you don’t have to do anything that feels too hard. For example, you may benefit from tai chi, yoga, stretching, or swimming pool exercises. Doing it first thing in the morning can help reduce stiffness and loosen you up.
5. Take your meds before you get out of bed
Place a glass of water, your medication, and a couple of crackers by your bedside. Set your alarm for an hour before your usual wake-up time. When the alarm goes off in the morning, simply take your morning medication with plenty of water. Eat a few crackers to help prevent an unsettled stomach. This will give your medication time to get into your system and make getting out of bed much easier. Doctor recommended that “Waiting until you’re already in quite a bit of pain to take a pain reliever can be counterproductive.”
6. Add natural supplements to your diet
A number of supplements, vitamins, and minerals may help reduce inflammation and arthritis pain. Vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K, as well as minerals like zinc, calcium, iron, and magnesium, all play important roles in reliving morning stiffness. Capsaicin, turmeric, and a variety of other supplements also help with that.
7. Move your bedroom to the ground floor
If you was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, you must’ve found that you just can’t do stairs at all when you are flaring. So move your bedroom to the ground floor, and not having to go down stairs first thing in the morning will make your life so much easier.
8. Cut out sugar
We’ve all been there - My body doesn’t react immediately but if I eat inflammatory foods, especially sugar, I know that the next morning I’ll be in a ton of pain. The more closely you stick to a low-sugar diet the better your mornings are!