You are tired (literally and figuratively) of the pain and immobility that manifests as soon as you roll out of bed in the AM. It’s not only an uncomfortable experience, it sets a negative tone for the day ahead, whether you’re heading off to work or preparing to an enjoy a day of physical activity and leisure. You’ve had enough, and have come online to ask “why do I wake up sore and stiff every morning?” which is what brought you here to Absolute PhysioCare. Below is a succinct breakdown of what you may be experiencing with a concluding call-to-action for how to correct this bothersome pattern.
5 Reasons Why You Wake Up Sore and Stiff Every AM and How Physiotherapy Will Help
1. Underlying Injuries You Don’t Know About
The most logical explanation is that you have underlying injuries and/or musculoskeletal malfunctions that you don’t necessarily notice when you are active and moving through the day. It may seem illogical that the symptoms of these injuries/malfunctions feel worse after being at-rest, but when you understand the body’s natural processes it makes sense. You see, your body’s natural inflammatory response to injuries generally intensifies overnight. Inflammatory markers and chemicals accumulate around the injured area (lower back, neck, etc.) and cause increased pain which you feel as soon as you make your move to leave bed. Further, compromised joints tend to feel better when they produce synovial fluid (which lubricates joints). This fluid is only produced when you’re mobile. If inactive for a couple of hours (or eight!) the lack of lubrication contributes to morning pain and stiffness.
2. What You Ate Before You Went to Bed
Overnight inflammation can be directly connected to what you eat within a few hours before bed. Sugars founds in your dessert or nightly snack (fruit fructose included) can elevate inflammation and contribute to pain and stiffness. View more on the sugar and chronic pain connection.
3. What You Drank Before You Went to Bed
Beverages can be a culprit too. The sugar found in dairy, soda, and so forth are a clear problem. In addition, alcohol is directly related to inflammation and a compromised immune system, the latter of which can prevent injuries from healing and contribute to the viscous cycle of waking up sore and stiff every morning.
4. Your Sleeping Position
The position in which you sleep has a direct impact on the way it feels upon waking, especially as it applies to lower back and neck – the most common points of morning soreness and stiffness. While there is no single best sleeping position (everyone is different) there are guidelines to follow which we have detailed here.
5. Your State of Mind
Lastly, the state of mind you have as you enter your slumber can be partly responsible for soreness and stiffness in the AM. Research confirms that anxiety and stress have associations with pro-inflammatory markers.
How Physiotherapy Will Help
To begin with, physiotherapy and chiropractic interventions will directly solve non-medical musculoskeletal injuries and malfunctions that contribute to morning soreness and stiffness. That’s a given. Moreover, a full service clinic such as our Burnaby/Vancouver facility will provide sleeping position assessments. A full service provider will also have a clinical counselor on staff who may assist with negative feelings that could further elevate inflammation.
Wake-Up Pain-Free and Limber Through Physio
(Burnaby residents)