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Have you ever got out of bed and felt like your body needs a few minutes to get moving? Or stood up after a long car journey or sitting at your desk and felt stiff and uncomfortable? Many people assume this means something is wrong: that a joint has “locked”, a muscle has tightened, or you’re getting more arthritic. But this is not always the case. In fact, stiffness can often be a normal response to how we use our bodies.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that feeling stiff always means something is physically tight or damaged. In reality, stiffness is a sensation created by a combination of factors, including how your muscles and joints are moving, how much activity your body is used to, and how your nervous system is responding to that movement.

Why do we feel stiff after being still?

Your body is designed to move regularly, but our bodies are also adaptable. If we spend a lot of time in one position or reduce our activity (e.g. when asleep, sitting at the desk, travelling, or relaxing on the sofa), our muscles and joints become accustomed to those demands. When we suddenly ask them to move further or do more, they may initially feel less comfortable or mobile. After a period of rest your joints and muscles have had less movement through their normal range, so your body is less prepared for sudden movement. 

As you start moving, your muscles warm up, your joints move through their available range, and your nervous system receives more information about movement, which can help the sensation of stiffness settle. This explains why the first few steps after getting out of bed can feel different from walking around 5-10 minutes later.

“If I feel stiff, I just need to stretch more”

Stretching can be a really useful tool and many people find it helps them feel more comfortable and mobile. However, stretching alone is not always the complete answer. A common pattern is that someone feels stiff, stretches the area that feels tight, gets some temporary relief, but then finds the same sensation returns later. This is because stiffness is not always caused by a muscle simply being “too short” or needing to be lengthened. Therefore a combination of regular movement (e.g. walking), mobility and stretching exercises, and strengthening exercises can be more effective than relying on stretching alone

What can help?

• Change position regularly throughout the day: Aim to stand up every 30-45 minutes, even if its for a loo break or to pop the kettle on. You can even make small changes, such as standing up when making phone calls, or doing some seated stretches for mobility.
• Keep well hydrated: This supports normal bodily function
• Stay active: This helps to keep muscles strong and joints moving freer. A good starting point would be to go for 2x 10 minute walks per day, and gradually increasing this once you feel able.
• Osteopathy: If stiffness is persistent, worsening, or it’s affecting your every day activities, an osteopathic assessment can help identify factors that maybe contributing to your symptoms. To book an osteopathy appointment click here.
• GP: If stiffness is regularly lasting for a prolonged period after waking, particularly if it is accompanied by joint swelling, warmth, significant pain or other symptoms, it’s worth speaking to your GP. Your GP can assess your symptoms and decide whether any further investigations are appropriate.

Feeling stiff after a period of rest doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong or that your body needs “fixing”. Our bodies are adaptable, and giving them regular opportunities to move, stretch and strengthen can help us stay comfortable, mobile and better prepared for the things we want to do.

PS: In case you missed it – Can Sound and Vibration Affect your Health?

A lovely reader recently asked me whether certain sounds or vibrations are good for our health, and whether there are others we should try to avoid. It’s a brilliant question because it’s something many of us have probably wondered about. We all know that some sounds help us relax, while others leave us feeling frazzled, but why is that?

Think about how a favourite song can lift your spirits, or how birdsong, waves or gentle rain can help you feel calmer. Equally, most of us know how draining constant traffic, loud neighbours or endless building work can be. Whenever we hear something, tiny vibrations travel through the air until they reach our ears. Our brains interpret those vibrations as music, speech, birdsong, or sometimes irritating noise!

This is why in today’s blog we are exploring the relationship between vibration, sound and wellbeing. We’ll look at what the current research tells us, where the evidence is still evolving, and why the sounds that surround us may influence how we feel more than we realise.

So, can sound affect our wellbeing?

The simple answer is yes, but perhaps not always in the way we think.

Research suggests that music and other pleasant sounds associated with nature can help many people feel more relaxed, lift their mood and reduce feelings of stress or anxiety. That’s one reason music is sometimes used in hospitals, care homes and other healthcare settings. However, when it comes to claims that one particular sound frequency has unique healing powers (such as 432 Hz or 528 Hz), there isn’t strong scientific evidence to support those claims. If you enjoy listening to these sounds and find them relaxing, that’s wonderful. It may simply be that taking time to pause, breathe and listen to something you enjoy is beneficial in itself.

Rather than searching for one “magic frequency”, it may be more helpful to notice which sounds help you feel calmer, more focused or more at ease.

Humming, singing… and your vagus nerve

Have you ever caught yourself humming while cooking or singing along to the radio?

Humming and singing naturally encourage slower, deeper breathing, helping activate the body’s natural relaxation response. They also create gentle vibrations around the throat and chest, and some researchers think these may contribute to the calming effects many people notice.

If you’ve read my previous blog about the vagus nerve, you’ll know that slow breathing helps support our body’s natural “rest and digest” response. Humming or singing can be a simple, enjoyable way of encouraging that state, and the best part is it doesn’t matter whether or not you’re in tune!

What about sound baths and relaxation apps?

Sound baths, singing bowls and relaxation apps have become increasingly popular. Many people find them calming, and if you enjoy them, they can be a lovely way to make time for yourself. Although sound baths and singing bowls sound different to humming, it actually works in a similar way to singing by stimulating your vagus nerve to help you relax!

In terms of apps, one I’ve experimented with is Healing Sounds (I’m not affiliated with it in any way!). It includes sounds linked to ‘delta, theta, alpha and beta brain waves’, which are real patterns of brain activity that scientists can measure. For example, delta brain waves are associated with deep sleep, while beta brain waves are linked with being awake and focused.

Some apps are designed around the idea that certain sounds may gently encourage the brain towards different states, such as relaxation or focus. Scientists call this brainwave entrainment, and it’s an interesting area of research. At the moment, however, there isn’t strong scientific evidence to show that listening to specific sound frequencies reliably changes brain activity or produces particular health benefits.

As long as we keep our expectations realistic there’s no harm in exploring what sounds helps us unwind. If you enjoy these sounds and they become part of a relaxing bedtime or mindfulness routine, they may be a helpful addition to your wellbeing toolkit. We all respond differently, so I’d genuinely love to hear your experiences if you’ve tried them.

Are there sounds that aren’t so good for us?

Yes! Long-term exposure to loud noise can damage hearing, while constant background noise may disturb sleep, increase stress and make it harder to concentrate. Although we can’t always control our surroundings, we can make small changes such as:

• Turning off background TV or radio when it’s not needed.
• Enjoying a few minutes of quiet each day.
• Listening to music that helps you feel calm.
• Wearing hearing protection when using loud DIY or gardening equipment.
• Spending time outdoors and appreciating the sounds of nature.

In summary

There probably isn’t one particular frequency that’s been proven to heal us. What we do know is that the sounds we surround ourselves with can influence how we feel. Whether it’s humming while making a cup of tea, singing in the car, listening to your favourite music, enjoying birdsong on a walk, trying a sound bath or experimenting with a relaxation app, these small moments can help us pause, breathe and reconnect with ourselves.

The answer is that it depends on the underlying cause, but there are a variety of gentle movements that some people find helpful when they experience feelings of stiffness or muscular tightness around the lower back and pelvis.

In clinic, I often find that clients who spend a lot of time sitting at a desk, driving, or leading a predominantly sedentary lifestyle report feelings of stiffness around the hips, pelvis and lower back. Interestingly, people whose jobs involve repetitive movements, such as manual or physically demanding roles, can report similar feelings of tightness.

This highlights an important point: both too little movement and too much of the same type of movement can sometimes contribute to feelings of stiffness and discomfort around the lower back and pelvic region.

While stretching isn’t a cure-all, gentle movement can help some people feel more comfortable, improve confidence in movement, and temporarily reduce feelings of stiffness. The exercises below focus on areas that commonly influence comfort around the pelvis, including the hip flexors, gluteal muscles, lower back and surrounding tissues.

As always, exercises should be performed within a comfortable range and should not significantly increase pain. If symptoms are persistent, worsening, or causing concern, it is important to seek appropriate healthcare advice.

1. Pelvic Tilts

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. In this neutral position, the natural curve of your lower back will be slightly off the floor.
• Create a flat back: Exhale and gently rock your hips toward your head. As you do this, you’ll feel your lower back flattening into the floor. Also draw your navel up and in towards your spine and keep it contracted around 50% (so you are able to breathe). If this is difficult to do, imagine you have a tail and you are trying to hide your tail between your legs.
• Hold position for a couple breaths, then relax.
• Repeat 10 times in a slow, controlled manner.

2. Standing Hip Flexor Stretch

• Stand in a staggered stance, with one foot in front of the other.
• Keeping your chest upright, gently bend the front knee and shift your weight forwards (lunge position).
• Create a ‘flat back’ by tilting your pelvis/tucking your tailbone in. 
• You should feel a stretch at the front of the hip and upper thigh of the back leg.
• Hold this position for a few breaths, then return to standing position.
• Repeat on the other side.
• Tip: Stretching the hip flexors is really handy if you’ve been sitting for a long time!

3. Seated Figure-Four Stretch

• Sit up straight with feet hip-width apart and feet flat on floor.
• Bring one ankle over your opposite knee.
• Hold your ankle in place with the opposite hand.
• With your other hand gently push your bent leg down (just above the knee joint) until you feel a stretch in your hip/buttock/lower back.
• To make the stretch stronger, keep your back straight then gently lean forwards.
• Hold this position for a few slow, deep breaths.
• Return to start position, then repeat on the other side.

4. Cat-Cow Movement

• Start in Tabletop: Begin on your hands and knees in a neutral position. Align your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Spread your fingers wide and keep a straight, flat back.
• Cow Pose (Inhale): As you breathe in, let your belly drop toward the floor. Lift your chest and tailbone toward the ceiling, and gently gaze straight ahead.
• Cat Pose (Exhale): As you breathe out, draw your navel toward your spine, tuck your tailbone, and round your back toward the ceiling (just like a stretching cat). Drop your head gently and look toward your hips.
• Move comfortably between these positions for 8–10 repetitions.

5. Child’s Pose (Wide, Narrow, and Side-Shift Options)

• Start on your hands and knees, then slowly sit your hips back towards your heels and reach your arms forwards.
• You can adjust this position depending on what feels most comfortable:
  • Narrow stance: Keep your knees together or hip-width apart. This tends to create a more focused stretch through the lower back.
  • Wide stance (as shown in pic): Take your knees wider apart while keeping your big toes touching or feet apart. This variation can feel more open through the hips and pelvis.
  • Side-to-side variation: From child’s pose, gently walk your hands over to one side. This shifts the stretch into one side of the lower back and can help explore asymmetrical tightness. Hold for a few breaths, then slowly walk your hands to the other side.
• Hold this position for several breaths.

In Summary

Stretching can be a useful way to temporarily ease feelings of tightness around the lower back and pelvis, but it is often only one piece of the puzzle. For many people, long-term improvements are best supported by a combination of regular movement, appropriate strengthening exercises, and lifestyle habits that encourage the body to move in a variety of ways throughout the day.

If you’re looking for ideas on exercises that can help build strength around the hips and pelvis, take a look at my previous article on glute strengthening exercises.

If you’d like personalised advice or support with ongoing stiffness or discomfort, osteopathic treatment may help as part of your wider management plan. To book an appointment, simply click here.

When it comes to stretching, most people focus on what area to stretch e.g calves, neck, spine, but far fewer think about how long to hold each stretch. Timing is one of the most important factors in whether stretching makes a difference to your flexibility. Different hold times affect different tissues in the body, so if you’ve ever felt like stretching doesn’t make much difference, adjusting the timing can change how effective your routine feels.

Short Holds: Getting Things Moving (5–20 seconds)

Short stretches are best thought of as preparation rather than change. Holding a position briefly can help increase circulation, wake the body up, and gently encourage movement through a joint. This makes them useful before activity, whether that’s light exercise, walking, or just starting your day. However, they don’t tend to improve flexibility or reduce longer-term stiffness in a meaningful way.

Medium Holds: Working on Muscle (20–40 seconds)

This is the type of stretching most people are familiar with. Holding a stretch for around 30 seconds gives your muscles time to relax and lengthen slightly, which can reduce the feeling of tightness. This is a good general approach for pre- and post-workouts. It mainly targets the muscle tissue itself, which is why it can feel helpful but doesn’t always resolve deeper or more persistent stiffness.

Longer Holds: Allowing the Body to Settle (40-90 seconds)

This zone is where stretching starts to become more effective for many people. Holding a position a little longer gives your nervous system time to stop signalling the muscle to tighten and allows the body to gradually let go of tension. You’re still working with muscle here, but in a more sustained way. This can be especially useful if you tend to feel generally tight or find that shorter stretches don’t seem to make much difference. I would recommend this length of time post-workout if you know certain muscles are prone to getting tight (e.g. for me I get tight hamstrings, so I would focus on holding stretches in this area for 40-90 seconds)

Sustained Holds: Reaching the Deeper Tissues (90 seconds – 3+ minutes)

When stretches are held for longer periods they begin to influence your fascia. Fascia is the connective tissue that surrounds and supports muscles and joints, and it plays a big role in how stiff or restricted the body feels. Unlike muscle, fascia responds best to slow, steady pressure over time. This is why slower, yin-style stretching can be particularly helpful for ongoing stiffness or a general lack of mobility. The aim here isn’t to stretch further, but to allow the body time to adapt. This means you should do the stretch at a comfortable intensity. If you have chronic pain it is likely you have fascial restrictions, so doing longer holds 3x per week should improve your flexibility and general tension over time. It also helps the body to ‘relax’, so if you are feeling stressed, doing these exercises with slow breathing can help you feel more grounded.

Getting the Most Out of Your Stretching

How you stretch matters just as much as how long you hold it. A lot of the frustration people feel with stretching comes down to a few simple habits that are easy to adjust.

One of the most common is pushing too far into a stretch. It’s easy to assume that a deeper stretch will give a better result, but in reality the body often responds by tightening up to protect itself. This can actually limit the benefit. A better approach is to start at a gentle to moderate stretch, around a 3-5 out of 10 intensity level, and allow the stretching sensation to build gradually..

Similarly, holding your breath or bracing in a position is usually a sign you’ve gone a bit too far. Stretching should feel sustainable. You should be able to breathe slowly and feel the body soften, especially if you’re holding the position for longer.

The key idea is simple: stay comfortable, move slowly, and give your body time to respond. Matching the length of the stretch to your goal, whether that’s preparing to move or improving mobility, makes it much more effective.

If you have any aches or pains and would like rehab advice tailored to your needs, book an appointment with us here.