Joints stiff when I wake up
You swing your legs out of bed, and your knees do not want to bend. Your hands feel tight and your back feels locked. After a few minutes of moving, things loosen up.
Your joints stay still for hours while you sleep. Fluid inside them gets thick when it is not stirred. The soft tissue around each joint tightens a bit too.
Years of use also wear down cartilage, the smooth pad at the end of each bone. Swelling inside a joint can add to the stiff feeling. How long the stiffness lasts is a useful clue, so notice the clock.
When to see someone
See a doctor if the stiffness lasts over an hour most mornings. Go right away if a joint is hot, red, or swollen, or you have a fever. A joint that locks or will not hold your weight needs care, and so does new weight loss or night sweats.
The list below comes from our notes on longevity, which means healthy aging. Each item carries a grade for how strong the research is, and nothing more. A grade is not a promise, so talk with your doctor before you try any of them.



