Snap, Crackle, Pop means ouch, ouch, ouch!

Each morning, I lie with my eyes closed, imagining the time of day.  Gently, I open my eyes to the strategically-projected time, on the ceiling.  Occasionally, I’m surprised at the early morning hour and drift back to sleep.  Yet, most of the time, my gradual awakening is the early morning reprieve to the brash, alarm set to annoy in about 3 minutes.

I turn off the alarm, roll slowly to my left, careful to not twist my aching back, fumble for my phone, and glance at the day’s headlines.  If no catastrophes, I take a glance at the social media.  If no major events there, I carefully roll out of bed wincing as my feet hit the floor.  “Ouch, Ouch, Ouch”, I think with each step as my spine attempts to straighten, my knees creak and the arches of my feet begin to flatten.  I continue to hobble around the house until I’ve had my morning coffee and taken the dog for a walk.  An hour later, my body is warm enough to prepare for the day ahead.

I’ve become so complacent with this routine, it doesn’t even spark memories of the days when I would burst out of bed at the sound of the alarm, practically jump into my running shoes and clothes, and hit the trail.  It doesn’t spark memories of the days when I would awake to a peppy, pop song that stayed with me, all day.  I would sing the song to my animals as I fed them.  The same song would keep a spring in my step and cause people to smile when they heard me humming it, unconsciously.

Today, I’m pondering this while walking my dog. When did this new routine become,…well…routine?  I’m only 48!  I could, potentially, live another 40 years.  I’m realizing, this morning, that it is dangerous to feel comfortable with these ailments.  Many of my friends are suffering with pains of which they were given no options.  Auto-immune diseases and cancers attack your own body’s cells.  That is the most unfair position in which you can be situated.  I may not have the option of eliminating past joint damage but I can do things to make my situation better.  Here’s the short list I’ve compiled, this morning.  I welcome any suggestions for additions to this list.

• Stretching daily
• Increasing my walking stride and pace
• Yoga/flexibility exercises
• routine massages
• warm or cool packs for sore spots
• drinking more water
• energizing body lotions

Fast forward – I have purchased a new bed!  Most of the morning pains are gone!!

Conclusion: if you have morning aches and pains, you must consider the necessity for purchasing a new mattress with all the bells and whistles.  It had been nearly 20 years since I’d purchased a mattress, so I went top of the line.  I may be paying for it over 2 years but I’m reminded of it’s worth, each morning I roll out of bed. 🙂