Good sleep, both in terms of quality and quantity, is essential to human health and well-being. During sleep, the body undergoes vital processes of restoration, repair, and regulation. For those who don’t get enough of it, the consequences can be profound, ranging from impaired cognitive function and lowered immunity to exacerbated chronic conditions and diminished emotional resilience.
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| SDO® Original Sleep Suit in No. 12 Ultraviolet theme |
For individuals living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), sleep is often one of the first areas of life to be severely affected. EDS is a group of complex connective tissue disorders that present a broad spectrum of symptoms, many of which interfere directly with the ability to fall and stay asleep. These challenges can stem from various causes, but one of the most consistently reported is chronic pain.
Pain is a major barrier to restorative sleep. People with EDS often live with joint pain, muscle soreness, and frequent subluxations or dislocations. In order to fall asleep, you need to feel completely comfortable and being in pain clearly prevents this state of comfort from being achieved. Even when sleep eventually comes, often through sheer exhaustion, many people with EDS wake up soon after due to pain, muscle spasms, or joint instability.
The result is often a broken, poor-quality sleep that leaves individuals feeling unrefreshed the next day. This fatigue can further worsen pain sensitivity and exacerbate symptoms, creating a vicious cycle of sleeplessness and discomfort that is difficult to break without targeted intervention.
Additional Sleep Challenges in EDS
In addition to chronic pain, people with EDS frequently experience other health conditions that contribute to poor sleep quality. These can include:
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Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), which can cause itching, hives, and gastrointestinal symptoms that disrupt rest.
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Dysautonomia, including conditions like Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), which affect the autonomic nervous system and can cause racing heart, temperature dysregulation, and insomnia.
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Neurodivergent conditions, such as ADHD and anxiety, both of which are strongly associated with disrupted sleep patterns and hyperarousal.
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A high prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) has also been noted in some forms of EDS, particularly the hypermobile type. This condition causes repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep, often leading to daytime fatigue and increased cardiovascular risk.
As there is currently no cure for EDS, managing the symptoms is the only method of treatment. Deep pressure has been shown to help reduce the discomfort and pain associated with EDS and can thus be an excellent way of ensuring that people with the condition can enjoy restful, restorative and uninterrupted sleep.
Deep pressure input has been found to calm the nervous system, enhance proprioception (the sense of body position), and reduce the severity of pain and joint instability. When integrated into therapeutic garments, this approach can provide all-day and all-night support to individuals with EDS, helping them to feel more secure, stable, and comfortable, paving the way for better rest and recovery.
SDO® Original by Medigarments Ltd: Support that makes a difference
Medigarments Ltd, a leader in the development of dynamic compression and orthotic therapy garments, understands the unique and evolving needs of people living with EDS. Their innovative SDO® Original Sensory Dynamic Orthosis™ range is designed to offer tailored, effective support that significantly enhances both daytime functioning and nighttime rest.
The SDO® Original range features made-to-measure compression garments that apply gentle, sustained pressure to the body. This pressure:
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Improves proprioception
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Helps minimise involuntary movements
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Reduces the risk of subluxations and dislocations
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Calms overactive sensory systems
For individuals with EDS, these garments provide not just physical support, but also a psychological sense of security, which can be profoundly beneficial for reducing anxiety and promoting restful sleep. Many users report reduced pain, improved sleep patterns, and a greater sense of physical control and wellbeing.
Clinical application of SDO® Original garments
By integrating Medigarments Ltd's therapeutic garments into your clinical practice, you can offer your patients a non-invasive, adjunctive solution to manage their EDS symptoms more effectively. These garments are designed to complement other therapeutic approaches and provide continuous support, helping your patients achieve better rest, recovery, and ultimately, health.
The Medigarments Ltd clinical team is available to provide personalised guidance on how to integrate these garments into treatment plans for your patients. Whether you are looking for advice on fitting, garment options, or patient education, Medigarments Ltd is there to help. If you have any questions or need advice, then our clinical team will be happy to help so please give them a call.
We would like to invite you to learn more about these groundbreaking garments on the Medigarments Ltd website. Please subscribe to our free newsletter to receive this article, along with lots of other updates and special features, direct to your email inbox. Please support us in spreading the word by liking and following us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.
SDO® Original is part of The World of SDO® Sensory Dynamic Orthosis™ range of dynamic Lycra® compression garments by Medigarments Ltd. SDO® and Sensory Dynamic Orthosis™ are trademarks of Medigarments Ltd.
