Morning exercise routine improves mobility and circulation

Health experts and organizations, including the AOK, recommend a five-minute morning exercise routine designed to reduce stiffness, activate the circulatory system, and improve mental stability. These mini-interventions are particularly beneficial for addressing morning stiffness, which often increases after age 50 due to prolonged inactivity during sleep.

The recommended five-minute sequence consists of several specific movements:

• Foot pump (30 seconds): Moving toes toward and away from the body to activate ankles and calves. • Heel slides (1 minute): Sliding the heel toward the buttocks to mobilize knees and hips. • Knee-to-chest (1 minute): Pulling the knee toward the chest to relax the lower back and stretch the hips. • Knee tilts (1 minute): Gently tilting knees from side to side to improve mobility. • Bridge (1.5 minutes): A final stabilizing movement.

Physiotherapy expert Dr. Michél Gleich notes that such routines improve general mobility and stimulate the cardiovascular system. Alternative approaches may also include deep breathing techniques, such as abdominal breathing, combined with full-body stretching or the ‘cat-cow’ pose.