If you wake up stiff and are slow to feel like yourself, ten minutes of easy movement first thing can take the edge off. You don't need a workout, just enough to remind your joints they can move.
Why mornings feel stiff
You spend hours mostly still while you sleep, so it makes sense that everything feels a little locked up when you get going. Some movement in the morning gets blood moving and takes your joints through their range, so you tend to feel looser sooner than if you just push through on coffee alone.
Keep it gentle. Morning isn't the time to force a deep stretch, so stay smooth and slow. If a movement pinches or hurts, ease off or skip it.
The routine
1. Cat-cow (1 minute). On your hands and knees, slowly round your back toward the ceiling, then let it sag as you look up. Move with your breath. This wakes up your whole spine.
2. Spinal twists (1 minute). Lie on your back, knees bent, and let both knees drop slowly to one side while your shoulders stay down. Hold a breath or two, then switch. Many people find this one feels good on a stiff lower back in the morning.
3. Hip circles (1 minute). Still on hands and knees, lift one knee and draw slow circles with it, opening the hip. Do a few each direction, then switch legs. Sitting tightens hips, and this opens them back up.
4. Band pull-aparts (1 minute). Hold a light resistance band set in front of you and pull it apart, squeezing your shoulder blades. It's a good counter to the forward slump that comes with a lot of desk time, and it warms up the upper back.
5. Standing forward fold (1 minute). Stand and slowly fold forward, letting your head and arms hang. Bend your knees as much as you need. Come up slowly. Good for the back of your legs and your lower back.
6. Roll the tight spots (2 to 3 minutes). Finish with slow, easy passes on a foam roller over whatever feels tightest, often the upper back, hips, or calves. Roll the muscle, not bone, so stay off your spine and joints, and keep the pressure light first thing in the morning.
Make it a habit
Ten minutes is short enough to keep up with, even on a busy morning. Tie it to something you already do, like right after you get out of bed or while your coffee brews. Over a week or two, many people find they wake up looser and move easier through the day.
If you're just putting together the basics, the resistance bands and foam roller in this routine both live in our start here collection.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a joint issue or ongoing pain, check with a professional.