Can you sleep in a knee brace or knee compression sleeves?

Disclaimer: Our team at Bracelayer® Apparel are not doctors. We do, however, set out to help people with knee pain find relief, increase their stability and balance during physical activity, heal from and prevent further injury. All we can really suggest is that you know the risks and make an informed decision for yourself about your body.

And moreover, as with any medical change, consult with your doctor before making decisions.

If you wear a knee brace or a knee compression sleeve for added support or stability, pain relief, or improved circulation, it’s quite likely that you have gotten comfortable in it. Maybe you’re a little annoyed that they slide or roll down sometimes, but overall your knee brace or knee compression sleeves feel like they’re attached to you. 

And chances are, if you suffer from knee pain, sometimes it keeps you up at night. It might feel like you just can’t find a comfortable position for it. And then, you’ve wondered if you could just keep your knee support on while sleeping. Maybe that would help!

People have done it. In fact, some of our customers have reported that sleeping in their Bracelayer® compression leggings has brought them great relief. (If nothing else, we’ll take that as a win for the comfort of our pants!)

But is it safe to sleep in knee support?

It seems like experts are divided. While quite a few authorities on the subject say it’s fine to sleep in your knee support, some strongly disagree. If you have a custom knee brace from an injury, your doctor would probably have told you if it was good for your healing to wear your brace when sleeping. If they didn’t, you likely shouldn’t wear it.

Compression sleeves, since they are available without prescription, are a bit of a different story. It seems like it probably is safe to sleep in compression gear if it fits properly. Compression sleeves in particular can cause a lot of damage if they’re too tight, like pressure on your nerves restricting blood flow. If they’re too loose, it will be like they’re not on at all.

And remember, as with any good thing, moderation is key. Be sure to take breaks from wearing your compression gear. As with anything, there are a few risks with compression gear, though studies show they’re “rarely encountered” if compression is used correctly.

For example, compression can very rarely cause non-fatal blood clots when used incorrectly. If you want to wear your compression sleeves while sleeping, make sure that you’ve taken them off to let your body do its thing for a significant portion of time beforehand.