Morning stiffness is often a direct result of chronic arthritis pain. While this condition affects different people in different ways, you can perform certain exercises in the evening and in the early morning to help improve your range of motion and joint flexibility in the early hours of the day.
Range of Motion Exercises
Complete range of motion exercises, also referred to as flexibility exercises, on a daily basis for 15 minutes at a time to help keep your joints loose and flexible. Performing leg abductions and adductions, for example, can help reduce leg joint pain by extending your legs out and away from your body. Leg adductions are performed by keeping your legs separated and then squeezing them together. Abductions are the reverse of this exercise. Hip internal and external rotations, as well as heel slides and ankle pumps, can help your legs and lower torso as well. Perform hip rotations while lying down or standing up, using your core muscles to rotate your legs back and forth to each side of your body. Perform shoulder and elbow flexion exercises to help improve range of motion in the arms. An elbow flexion is performed bringing your forearm up until it is perpendicular to the ground in a curling motion. For a shoulder flexion, bring your entire arm up from your side, rotating it until it is parallel with your body.
Strengthening Exercises
Strengthening exercises will help build muscle mass, indirectly relieving stress on your joints and reducing morning stiffness. In addition to building muscle, it's important to perform strengthening exercises that will not do further damage to your joints. As a result, isometric and isotonic strengthening exercises are a good way to strengthen muscles without straining joints. Isometric exercises, such as planks and side bridges, will help strengthen core muscles, such as your abdominals, quadriceps and lower back without straining your muscles. A plank is performed by lying down on your chest with your legs extended. Lift up onto your forearms, balancing your body weight with your forearms and toes, holding this exercise for an extended period of time. Isotonic exercises, such as straightening your knee while seated, can also help improve your range of motion.
Stretching Exercises
Stretching exercises are designed to reduce joint pain and inflammation. Unlike range of motion exercises, stretching exercises aim to elongate muscles through extended stretches. As a result, stretching exercises can be performed before you even get out of bed in the morning. While lying in bed, extend one arm out while placing the hand of your other arm over your elbow. Pull the arm across your body, holding the stretch for 10 seconds. Repeat with both arms. To stretch your legs, perform leg extensions, lifting your legs up until they are perpendicular to your bed.
Fitness Exercises
Fitness exercises, also referred to as cardiovascular or aerobic exercises, are designed to help improve your endurance and stamina. In addition to making your muscles and respiratory systems function at a more efficient level, fitness exercises can help you reduce weight, indirectly reducing the amount of stress that is put on your joints. If you do not exercise regularly, starting with a basic walking routine -- 30 minutes a day -- will help your body get into a basic rhythm. From here, you can extend fitness exercises to biking, swimming and running.
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