Why do I wake up with stiff muscles? Physio-approved stretches to fix your aching body fast

WOKEN up stiff, sore and unable to move comfortably?

After eight hours or so of lying still, it’s only natural to feel a little tight.

And if you don’t loosen up quickly, it can become very uncomfortable as you try to go about your usual day-to-day routine. 

But why are you waking up as stiff as an ironing board in the first place?

Andreas Anastasiou, a sports therapist at Myoset, says that age is just one factor. 

“As we get older, there’s a greater chance of arthritis in our joints,” he explains.

“People that don’t exercise will be more prone to this and obviously as we get older, we probably tend to move less.”

But he adds: “When we sleep we aren’t moving for long periods of time, so there’s less blood being circulated into our muscles and our muscles aren’t warm.

“After maybe 10 minutes, this stiffness goes away because we’re getting more circulation to the area.”

Andreas says that stiffness could be due to a high amount of exercise the previous day. 

“You could have something called DOMS – delayed onset muscle soreness,” he says.

This is essentially muscle pain that occurs after exercise and it tends to kick in 24 to 72 hours after that particular session. 

“It could also be due to an injury, and it could be stress-related,” adds Andreas.

Stress can cause tension in your body. For example, you may clench your jaw when you sleep which can lead to jaw and even neck pain. 

“Waking up stiff could be due to dehydration as well,” he adds.

“Our body is made up of about 60 per cent of water, so if we don’t have sufficient water in our body then we become dehydrated, and there isn’t enough water to help transport all the nutrients to the muscles.”

Aim to drink at least two litres of water each day, he advised.

Whatever the cause of your rigidity, stretching and mobility exercises can have a huge impact on how you feel.

So next time you wake up feeling a little tight, try these six simple moves to help ease the muscle stiffness that might have built up overnight. 

1. Pigeon stretch 

This is ideal to help release tightness in your glutes and also to help conditions such as sciatica – a common condition that causes pain in the lower back that radiates down the leg.

Get onto all fours, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.

Extend one leg straight back and bring the other leg to a 90 degree angle so that your ankle and knee are in a line, perpendicular to your body. 

Sit forward and lower your torso to the ground, then hold this stretch for 10 seconds. Release and swap sides. 

2. Lumbar rotation

To improve mobility in your lower back, give this stretch a try.

Lie on your back with your hips and knees at a 90 degree angle.

Your arms should be out straight either side of your body.

Keep your back on the ground and knees at 90 degrees as you roll your legs over to one side slowly, then over to the other side.

Keep rotating for as long as you like, easing any tightness in your lower back.  

3. Hip flexor stretch 

Andreas says that this stretch is ideal for targeting the front of your hips.

Get into a half kneeling position with one knee on the ground and the other in front at a 90 degree angle.

Shift your hips forward and feel a stretch in your back leg and in your hip flexors – a group of muscles in the front of the upper thigh that help you move your legs and hips.

Stay here for 10 seconds before swapping sides. 

4. Dynamic calf stretch 

This is great for runners, according to Andreas.

Start in a high plank position and push your hips up so your body is in an upside down ‘V’ position.

Then slowly pedal your heels one by one to the floor.

Do this for 20 to 30 seconds. 

5. Trap stretch 

Neck tension is common after sleeping, so try this to release tightness in your neck.

Sit on the ground in an upright position, with your left hand under your bottom to keep your shoulder down.

Then extend your legs out straight and take your right hand and gently pull your head down to your right side.

Don’t pull too much as this shouldn’t hurt, but pull just enough so you feel a slight stretch.

Hold this for around seven seconds, then release and do the same stretch on the other side. 

6. Thread the needle 

For upper to mid-back stiffness, try this. 

Get onto all fours then take your right arm straight up to the ceiling, opening up your chest.

Then bring that right arm underneath your body, keeping it straight, and lower your right shoulder to the ground.

Repeat this five times on each side.

As well as stretching, Andreas says that keeping your step count up by walking can really help alleviate pain, especially in the lower back. 

“Even when you’re sitting down at your desk, maybe bend down, touch the floor with your hands, get that lower back a bit mobile because most people do have some sort of lower back pain,” he says.

“It’s one of the common issues we see.”

Sort your sleep position 

Changing your sleep position can also help to overcome pain and stiffness.

“We tend to say that if your lower back hurts when you’re sleeping on your side, put a pillow between your knees,” he explains.

“That can help stop the femur from internally rotating, which can cause a bit of stress in the hips and the lower back.”

He adds: “Putting a pillow under your knees when you’re lying on your back and putting a pillow under your lower back can help.

“And if you’re lying down on your front when your neck’s rotated to the side, it can cause some stiffness and discomfort.

“We usually recommend either sleeping on your back or your side.”