I was talking to a friend who has another type of auto-immune disorder and we both found that it takes like 2-3 hours in the morning for us to get going? like our bodies and our minds are slow to get moving. I was wondering if anyone else has a hard time getting going in the morning? and does anyone have any tips to help them psychically and mentally to get the wheels going sooner. thanks :)
I certainly have groggy mornings. A few things that have decreased but not taken away the groggy fog for me were:1). I take my meds inbred before my feet hit the floor, 2). I try to do as much the night before ( get clothes out, lunches, work bag ready etc), 3) eat/drink a high protein shake about 30 mins before I eat breakfast, and last but not least drink 1-2 cups of coffee in the am between 8-10 am( this helps prevent the two o’clock drop, as does a protein snack around 2). I still can be quite tired depending on where I am in my Remicade cycle but it helps lessen the extent and length of time I am groggy.
I tried adding each of the steps a couple days between each and so far have managed to keep it up.
Good luck.
Thanks for your advice. The mornings are hardest for me once I get going and the wheels are turning in the old head of mine I am good. it just seems to be that I walk in a fog the first hour I get up even with my meds and coffee :( I will try your tip of getting some stuff ready the night before, I have attempted that before and was not always successful, (partly because I forget or just drop when it is bed time) but I will try it again thanks.
Kristen’s tips are excellent, the clothes out thing is essential for me. My add in is to get up 5 minutes earlier and soak in a hot shower just that extra bit longer…
Not only does it reduce stiffness, but it gives a very clear signal to the body via temperature that it is morning - so you will kick start production of your own “wake up” hormones, including cortisol - your very own safe steroid 
Love Kristen's tips!
My husband gets up before I do, and wakes me up enough to give me my thyroid meds. A little while later, he brings me a heating pad for my back. Then I have a banana and my B2, B6, B12, and D3 vitamins and usually some coffee. THEN I get out of bed. LOL I'm deficient in B and D vitamins, and found once I started treating, my morning grogginess wasn't so bad. Well, except for 2-4 days post-Remicade infusion.
For my 1st appointment to my Rheumatologist I have to figure this out. I have been trying to time how long it takes me to move without pain and so far it's been 2 hours. I even have a little journal I started too with all my symptoms daily.
That is a good idea. please let us know what they say. I have an appointment next month with my doctor so I should bring this up to him.
SublimeAmiga said:
For my 1st appointment to my Rheumatologist I have to figure this out. I have been trying to time how long it takes me to move without pain and so far it's been 2 hours. I even have a little journal I started too with all my symptoms daily.
There are several apps out there for tis. Morning stiffness is one of the key things my docs track. Over 20 min I can plan on a med change........
SublimeAmiga said:
For my 1st appointment to my Rheumatologist I have to figure this out. I have been trying to time how long it takes me to move without pain and so far it's been 2 hours. I even have a little journal I started too with all my symptoms daily.
The only thing is some days it's different.. I guess I will just write it down. Plus I work overnights and on the days I work I don't get all the sleep in one big 8 hours but, instead about 5 hours and then later on I lay back down before work. On the days I don't work then I sleep at night... a lot.. :-)
tntlamb said:
There are several apps out there for tis. Morning stiffness is one of the key things my docs track. Over 20 min I can plan on a med change........
SublimeAmiga said:For my 1st appointment to my Rheumatologist I have to figure this out. I have been trying to time how long it takes me to move without pain and so far it's been 2 hours. I even have a little journal I started too with all my symptoms daily.
My doc also tracks morning stiffness. For me the grogginess and stiffness go together. When my disease is out of control (most of last year), I had a period of noon-4pm where I was clear-headed and not stiff. Around 4pm it would come back in like the tide.
I know my current medication is helping, because my morning stiffness / grogginess has dropped by several hours. I now have from about 10am-6pm where I am clear-headed and though I have pain, it doesn't drag me down as much.
I get up around 7:30 and go to bed about 11:30 in the summer. In the winter I'm in bed by 10pm with a book.
That is a good way to look at it; the the grogginess and the pain go together. I mean i did attribute the grogginess to the PsA but never really linked it directly to the pain. I thought for a while that it was just something you had to live with. not something that you could actually do something about.
Hi, on a work day I set my alarm 30 mins before I have to get up and do my stretching and just general movements to ease my body (have the snooze function set on my alarm or else Id fall asleep again) Everything is set out the night before so its just a case of getting going. I’m straight in to clinical work at 7 am so the only other thing is copious amounts of coffee!! I often don’t chat much as I need to concentrate until the worst of the grogginess is over.
I have rest days in between shifts so I just go with the flow on those days…just like today
20 mins Lamb? Do you mean that if you aren’t improving in 20 mins its a med change? Or if you still have any stiffness in 20 mins?
Lamb can answer for himself, but I read that as if there is morning stiffness that lasts more than 20 minutes, then medication adjustments need to be made. It means that the inflammation is not well controlled.
Jen said:
20 mins Lamb? Do you mean that if you aren't improving in 20 mins its a med change? Or if you still have any stiffness in 20 mins?
I set my alarm an hour early and while I hit snooze I start stretching. And I go to bed and wind down as early as I can
That is exactly how I feel. don't ask me questions in the morning or try to talk to me, because I am to zonked out to talk.
Louise Hoy said:
Hi, on a work day I set my alarm 30 mins before I have to get up and do my stretching and just general movements to ease my body (have the snooze function set on my alarm or else Id fall asleep again) Everything is set out the night before so its just a case of getting going. I'm straight in to clinical work at 7 am so the only other thing is copious amounts of coffee!! I often don't chat much as I need to concentrate until the worst of the grogginess is over.
I have rest days in between shifts so I just go with the flow on those days.....just like today :)