You may be a morning person, but your back is not.

Many people are early risers and find that they have more energy and can accomplish a lot shortly after waking up in the morning. Yet many of these same people have lower back problems that plague them. This article will discuss some simple ideas to avoid back problems, especially for the “morning people”.

Back problems are common, possibly epidemic in the United States. Studies show that 80% of the population will have a significant back pain problem before the age of 40. Some of these episodes of back pain are a one time thing when the back “shuts down”. Others suffer from chronic back pain. The common denominator is that back discomfort causes quality of life to suffer.

Based on scientific research and my 35 years of chiropractic practice, I have found that nearly everyone with back discomfort can benefit from starting slowly in the morning.

The lower back is especially vulnerable in the morning. Consider, we have been inactive and sedentary throughout the night while sleeping. Our whole body has been still and without much movement. It definitely doesn’t get hot when you wake up. However, morning people and just about anyone who has had a good night’s sleep can be mentally rested and rarely get going with many of their daily activities.

The problem arises when the mind is ready, but the body is not. Let’s introduce an idea where we are going to let the body warm up so that we are able to carry out physical activity without suffering deleterious effects.

I’m sure we’ve all noticed that our four-legged friends, dogs and cats, always stretch after they’ve been lying down for a while. Instinctively, they know that it is better to warm up the body before activity. We also know that professional athletes would never think of practicing or participating in a competitive sport without a proper warm-up. We must follow these examples.

Most people will find that if they start slowly the first hour after waking up, the back will gradually warm up and be less likely to cause problems the rest of the day. Conversely, if a person irritates their back early in the day, it is much more likely to persist throughout the day.

My advice for morning people is to schedule less strenuous activities early in the morning until your back warms up. Later, after you’ve been up for a couple of hours, your back will be much more receptive to rigorous chores.

I have many testimonials from patients who once suffered from chronic low back pain and now swear that giving their back a chance to warm up has drastically minimized the back discomfort they previously experienced.

It is possible for the morning people and your lower back to coexist peacefully if they wish. Just start slowly in the morning!