muscle stiffness - #18109

For the past few months, I’ve been struggling with muscle stiffness, and it’s really starting to affect my daily life. When I wake up in the morning, my body feels stiff all over, especially in my neck, shoulders, and lower back. I have to stretch a lot before I can even move properly, and even then, my muscles feel tight and sore for hours. At first, I thought maybe it was just how I was sleeping—maybe I needed a new mattress or pillow. But then I started noticing that the stiffness wasn’t just in the mornings. Even during the day, I feel like my muscles don’t relax properly. If I sit for too long, I get up feeling like I’m 20 years older than I actually am. My legs and back take a while to loosen up, and sometimes my fingers feel stiff too. I started researching muscle stiffness, and apparently, it can be caused by all sorts of things—lack of movement, dehydration, stress, vitamin deficiencies, or even underlying health conditions. I don’t do heavy workouts, but I try to stay active by walking every day. So I don’t think I’m over-exercising. But I do have a stressful job, and I sit at a desk for long hours. Could that be part of the problem? Another thing I noticed is that my muscles feel even tighter when it’s cold outside. Could weather changes make muscle stiffness worse? And is there a way to prevent that? I’ve tried drinking more water and taking magnesium supplements, but I don’t see much improvement. That’s why I want to explore Ayurveda. Are there specific herbs or treatments that help relax the muscles and improve flexibility? I read that ashwagandha and oils like sesame oil can help with muscle tension—should I be using them? Also, are there any specific foods I should be eating or avoiding? I don’t want this to turn into something more serious like arthritis or a chronic pain condition. What’s the best way to prevent long-term joint and muscle problems using Ayurvedic treatments? Would love to hear if anyone else has experienced this and what worked for them.