July 13, 2026

How to Build a Strong Support System

By Elyse Hopfe, RLS Foundation Program Coordinator

Dealing with the emotional and physical hardships of having a sleep disorder like restless legs syndrome (RLS) is nearly impossible to do on your own. Seeking support from others does not make you weak—it makes you stronger.

Once you find that person, whether it be a doctor, partner, friend or family member who understands your journey with RLS, they can seem like your anchor to reality. However, support systems work best as webs of many individuals or communities. Even if your "number one" supporter offers to support you in all aspects of RLS, having an established network comprised of loved ones, professionals and community members can greatly reduce stress for everyone involved.

It can be daunting to create a support system for yourself while experiencing a disease that makes you feel so alone. To make sure that you cover several types of support, consider these practical ideas for creating or strengthening your support system:

1. Meet People Who Understand

Having people who can celebrate your wins and share your sorrows with this disease is a very important part of finding support. The RLS Foundation is dedicated to sustaining a network of caring volunteers who empathize with the hardest parts of living with restless legs syndrome. The Foundation provides opportunities for anyone in the world to connect with a volunteer, either one-on-one or in a group setting.

2. Find a Good Listener

If you find someone who is easy to say the hard things to, they might make a great addition to your support system. Even if you can only talk to them over the phone from time to time, having someone who invests emotional energy in your situation can be a great source of comfort.

It is important to ask for consent before sharing your thoughts and to confirm that they have the emotional capacity and time to listen. This person could be a loved one, a friend from the RLS community or someone from your church, workplace or another trusted group.

3. Find a Physical Helper

This role is different from the "good listener." Physical helpers can assist you through days and nights affected by poor sleep by driving you to appointments, helping prepare meals or researching treatment options when medication names begin to blur together.

These supporters usually live with or near you. While they may also provide emotional support, it's helpful if they are not solely responsible for meeting both your physical and emotional needs around the clock. Very few people have the capacity to do that long term.

4. Find a Healthcare Professional Who Cares

Unfortunately, RLS is often dismissed, misunderstood or inadequately addressed by healthcare professionals. Fortunately, there is a growing community of clinicians who are committed to providing evidence-based RLS care and staying current on treatment guidelines.

Many of these providers have completed certifications through the RLS Foundation to become RLS Quality Care Centers. You can locate participating providers by visiting www.rls.org.

Building Your Support Team

The people you gather to build an effective support system may have qualities or responsibilities that overlap, and that's perfectly natural. The key is to create a team made up of individuals who fill different roles.

Finding both a compassionate healthcare provider and someone who truly understands the challenges of living with RLS is invaluable. Likewise, having separate people who can drive you to appointments, listen when you're struggling and offer practical help can make an enormous difference.

What matters most is knowing that you have multiple people you can lean on throughout your journey.