Tired of waking up with a stiff back? Try these 3 stretches to soothe your aches away.

After years of rearranging heavy furniture, carrying my ever-growing son, and bending in awkward positions to clean, it finally happened: My lower back gave out.

It’s a frustrating, familiar situation for many. You wake up ready to start your day, but your back has other plans; it is too tense to wiggle out of bed without wincing. Early morning back discomfort can derail your entire day while you wait for those stubborn symptoms to subside.

Common causes include poor sleeping posture that places pressure on the spine, an unsupportive mattress, jumping out of bed too quickly, and residual pain from overworking muscles the day before. Luckily, there are effective, early morning stretches that help alleviate stiffness and boost your back’s mobility.

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For best results, practice the following movements after you’ve had 10 minutes to walk around. That will promote circulation, warm up muscles and joints, and make exercise safer. If you have time, a quick shower will help loosen up muscles even more.

These exercises are gentle enough to perform daily. However, they are strictly intended for those with minor lower-back aches, not pain from injury or bulging disks. If your back pain is persistent and interfering with your quality of life, consult your physician.

Begin on all fours in a tabletop position. The shoulders are stacked above the hands and the knees are under the hips.

Take a deep breath in, arching the back into a rainbow shape. Your chin will dip into your chest, and the tailbone will tuck under the hips.

On your exhale, release the spine so it creates a “U” shape, with your gaze and tailbone pointed up toward the ceiling.

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Lie on your stomach, resting your head on the floor and keeping the hands tucked close to the chest, with the elbows by the ribs.

Slowly push through the hands and forearms to lift the chest from the floor. Extend your spine by allowing your gaze to look up and forward. Pull the shoulders away from the ears and retract your shoulder blades. Hold here for two counts, then lower back down. Repeat 10 times.

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Lie on your back with the knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

Use both hands to grasp behind the knees and gently pull them in toward the chest. Do not tug; rather, stay within your natural range of motion. While in this position, you can lightly rock back and forth to massage the lower back against the floor. Avoid allowing the shoulders or head to lift from the ground. Stay in this position for at least 20 seconds.

Ashley Blake Greenblatt is a certified personal trainer and wellness coach in South Jersey. Learn more about her virtual training program at ashleyblakefitness.com.