Mastering Safe Night-Time Movement with Hypermobility: How to Turn and Get Out of Bed Without Pain

Why Night-Time Movement Is So Difficult with Hypermobility or EDS

With hypermobility or Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), your connective tissues are more stretchy and less supportive than usual. Joints can move further than they should, and they may feel loose, unstable, or painful.

At night, muscles relax and offer less support. Movements that seem small—like turning over or sliding up the bed—can cause:

• Sudden joint pain or "catching" sensations
• Subluxations (partial dislocations) or full dislocations
• Muscle spasms from trying to protect unstable joints
• Fatigue from constantly bracing or waking up to readjust

Most problems come from fast, twisting movements and from friction between your body and the sheets. The goal is to reduce twisting and friction, and to move in a slow, controlled way that keeps your joints in safer positions.

General Principles for Safer Bed Movement with Hypermobility

Before looking at specific steps, these principles can help almost every movement feel safer:

• Move slowly and in segments. Avoid sudden twists or rolling your whole body at once.
• Keep body parts moving together. Try to roll your head, shoulders, and hips in the same direction as a unit.
• Use your arms for support. Your arms can guide and control movement so your joints are not dragged by friction.
• Keep knees bent when possible. This shortens the lever on your hips and back and reduces strain.
• Use pillows for support. Between the knees, behind the back, or under the arms to limit extreme joint positions.
• Use low-friction help, not force. A Snoozle Slide Sheet lets you glide instead of push or pull against the mattress.

How to Turn in Bed Safely

Many people with hypermobility find that turning is when joints slip or flare. Here is a step-by-step method that reduces twisting and strain.

Step 1: Prepare Your Position

What often goes wrong: Trying to roll from a straight, flat position with legs outstretched. This puts a lot of torque through the hips, spine, and shoulders.

How to fix it:

• Bend both knees and bring your feet flat on the bed.
• Bring your feet slightly apart for balance.
• Gently tighten your tummy muscles as if bracing for a cough to support your spine.

Step 2: Use a Segmental Roll (Hips First, Then Shoulders)

What often goes wrong: Twisting the upper body while the hips stay still, or vice versa. This can cause shearing forces through the spine and sacroiliac joints.

How to fix it:

1. Press your heels gently into the mattress and let your hips start to roll towards the side you want to face.
2. As your hips begin to move, reach the opposite arm across your body (for example, if rolling to the right, reach your left arm across your chest towards the right side).
3. Let your shoulders follow your hips so your body turns as one unit, rather than twisting in the middle.
4. Keep your head in line with your spine. You can gently turn your head in the direction you are rolling.

Step 3: Using the Snoozle Slide Sheet for Turning

What the Snoozle helps with: Friction between your body and the bed makes you work harder and can drag on joints. The Snoozle Slide Sheet creates a low-friction surface so you glide more easily.

How to set it up safely:

• Place the Snoozle Slide Sheet under your shoulders and upper back, or under your shoulders and hips if you need more help.
• It should lie flat on the bed, not hanging over the edge, and not bunched up.
• Do not use it to lift yourself—only to slide while you stay supported on the mattress.

How to use it while turning:

1. With knees bent, gently press your heels into the bed.
2. Let your hips and shoulders glide together across the Snoozle as you roll.
3. Use your arms to guide the movement, not to pull hard. Think of steering rather than hauling.
4. Stop if you feel a joint starting to slip or catch. Reposition your limbs, then continue more slowly.

Step 4: Repositioning Your Legs After You Turn

What often goes wrong: The upper body turns first, but the legs are left behind straight and twisted, pulling on hips, knees, and lower back.

How to fix it:

1. Once your upper body has turned, keep your knees bent.
2. Move your top leg first: slide it forward slightly and place a pillow between your knees if this feels more stable.
3. Then gently bring the lower leg to match, so your knees and hips are aligned.
4. If your hips feel stuck, you can place the Snoozle Slide Sheet under your hips to help your pelvis slide into a more comfortable position.

How to Slide Up or Down the Bed with Less Strain

Sliding up or down in bed can be very demanding for hypermobile joints, especially shoulders and wrists if you try to push yourself along the sheets.

Step 1: Position the Snoozle Slide Sheet

• Place the Snoozle under your shoulders and hips if you need to move your whole body.
• Make sure it is flat and not hanging off the bed.

Step 2: Use a Gentle Bridge or Arm Support

To move slightly up the bed:

1. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the bed.
2. Press your feet gently into the mattress to slightly unweight your hips (a small "bridge"—only as much as feels safe).
3. At the same time, use your arms to guide your shoulders up the bed while your body glides on the Snoozle.

To move slightly down the bed:

1. Bend your knees if possible.
2. Let your body gently slide down the bed on the Snoozle, controlling the movement with your arms and feet.
3. Move only a short distance at a time to avoid sudden shifts.

If bridging is painful or unsafe for you, focus on small, repeated slides using your arms and the Snoozle, rather than one big movement.

How to Get Out of Bed Safely with Hypermobility

Getting out of bed is a common time for joints to slip or for dizziness and fatigue to cause near-falls. This method breaks the movement into smaller, safer parts.

Step 1: Roll Onto Your Side Facing the Edge

What often goes wrong: Sitting straight up from lying on your back. This strains the spine, ribs, and abdominal muscles, and can feel impossible when joints are unstable.

How to fix it:

1. Use the turning steps above to roll onto your side, facing the edge you plan to get out from.
2. Bend your knees to about 90 degrees, keeping them one on top of the other or with a pillow between them.
3. Bring your feet close to the edge of the bed so they are ready to lower to the floor.

Step 2: Move from Side-Lying to Sitting

What often goes wrong: Trying to swing the legs off the bed and push up at the same time, which can twist the spine and hips and overload the shoulders.

How to fix it (segmental approach):

1. Place your bottom arm comfortably in front of you, not trapped under your body.
2. Place your top hand on the mattress in front of your chest.
3. As you push your upper body up with your arms, let your legs slowly lower over the edge of the bed.
4. Think of your body as a seesaw: your legs go down as your upper body comes up.
5. Move slowly and pause if you feel dizzy or if any joint feels like it is slipping.

Step 3: Using the Snoozle Slide Sheet When Sitting Up

What the Snoozle helps with: For some people, sliding the hips towards the edge of the bed is difficult and painful, especially with hip or sacroiliac instability.

How to use it safely:

• Before you start to sit up, place the Snoozle Slide Sheet under your hips and thighs.
• As you push up with your arms, let your hips glide slightly towards the edge of the bed on the Snoozle.
• Keep both feet close together so your hips stay aligned.
• Stop sliding while you are still well-supported on the bed—do not let the Snoozle hang over the edge.

Remember: the Snoozle is for sliding on the bed only. It is not a lifting device and should not be used to transfer you off the bed.

Step 4: Sit, Pause, Then Stand

What often goes wrong: Standing up too quickly, leading to dizziness, faintness, or joints giving way.

How to fix it:

1. Once you are sitting on the edge of the bed, place your feet flat on the floor, about hip-width apart.
2. Sit for a moment to check for dizziness or light-headedness.
3. Place your hands on the bed or on a stable surface beside you.
4. Lean your body slightly forward, gently tighten your tummy and buttock muscles, and then push up to stand using your legs and arms together.
5. Stand still for a few seconds before walking away.

Positioning Tips to Protect Hypermobile Joints at Night

Good positioning can reduce how often you need to move and how painful those movements feel.

• Use pillows for joint support: Between the knees, under the arms, or along the back to prevent over-rotation.
• Support hypermobile shoulders: A pillow under the arm or hugging a pillow can prevent the shoulder from slipping forward.
• Neutral wrist and ankle positions: Small pillows or rolled towels can stop joints from falling into extreme angles.
• Consider a firmer mattress topper: Very soft beds can let joints sink and twist more, though comfort is individual.

How the Snoozle Slide Sheet Fits Into a Safe Routine

The Snoozle Slide Sheet is designed as a low-friction surface to make repositioning in bed easier and more controlled. It does not treat hypermobility or EDS, but it can reduce the effort and strain involved in moving.

Common, safe uses include:

• Helping you roll side to side without dragging your shoulders and hips.
• Allowing small slides up or down the bed with less pushing through painful joints.
• Making it easier to adjust your hips when moving from lying to sitting on the edge of the bed.

Always keep the Snoozle fully on the mattress, and only use it for movements where you remain supported by the bed.

Impact on Pain, Fatigue, and Sleep Quality

Hypermobility and EDS will still require ongoing management, but changing how you move in bed can make a noticeable difference.

• Segmented, controlled movements reduce sudden joint strain and subluxation risk.
• Lower friction from the Snoozle can decrease the muscle effort needed to move.
• Less pain and fewer disruptions may help you fall back asleep more easily.
• Over time, this can reduce fatigue from broken sleep and constant guarding of your joints.

If you are unsure which movements are safest for your specific joints, a physiotherapist or occupational therapist familiar with hypermobility or EDS can tailor these strategies for you.

Related comfort guides

• Effortless Bed Mobility for MS: Using Momentum and Snoozle to Move Without Pain or Fatigue
• Effortless Bed Mobility for Those Living Alone with Pain and Low Energy: Practical Bedroom Planning and Movement Strategies
• Effortless Bed Mobility with Knee Osteoarthritis: How to Move and Get Up Without Aggravating Pain