With winter on its way, many of us are starting to worry about our joints. It’s normal to wake up stiff when it’s been cold, and plenty of us feel stiffness in our joints all season. This can make us reluctant to move, make exercise difficult, and contribute to seasonal depression and weight gain. If you want to keep fit and supple through the winter months, here are some things you can do to reduce stiffness.
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Visit a Chiropractor
An upper cervical chiropractic specialist from Koeo Life will look at your upper cervical spine and alignment and devise a treatment plan to reduce stiffness in your back, neck, shoulders, and head. Work from an upper cervical chiropractor could also improve your posture and core strength, make it easier to sleep, reduce fatigue, and otherwise boost your levels of comfort, mood, and energy levels. Book an appointment with an upper cervical chiropractor Europe if you have back or neck pain or want to work on your alignment and back health.
Stretch
Stretching is one of the easiest ways to both ease and prevent joint stiffness. If you feel a little stiff, taking some time to stretch out will help you to loosen up, but stretching every day can help to reduce the risk of stiffness in the first place. Daily yoga can be a fantastic way to reduce and prevent stiffness all year round.
Stay Active
When we’re stiff and it’s cold, lazing on the sofa is tempting, but this will make stiffness much worse. Even when the weather is very bad, try to get up and moving as much as possible. Regular exercise will help prevent stiffness, and even something as simple as getting up and walking around once an hour when you are working can make a big difference to your comfort level. Try not to sit still for too long, and your body will never get the chance to stiffen.
Build Strength
Many of us make the mistake of focusing on cardio exercise to keep fit and slim. However, building strength with either weight training or body weight work like Pilates will mean that your muscles can support your joints, reducing the risk of stiffness and injury.
Stay Warm
We all get stiff when we’re cold, so it makes sense that one of the best ways to reduce stiffness is to keep warm. Keep your house warm, and make sure you wrap up when you go out. If you are exercising outdoors, make sure you warm up inside first.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Being overweight puts more pressure on your joints, meaning you are stiffer than you should be. Losing weight means your joints are under less stress and can stay looser in cold weather.
Take a Look at Your Bed and Sleep Positions
We spend a lot of time asleep. If you are stiff when you wake up, ensure your mattress and pillows are supportive, and consider changing your sleep position.
Some winter stiffness is standard, especially as we start to get older. But with some lifestyle changes and exercise, you can limit stiffness, helping you to stay active and happy, no matter how cold it gets.