Wexford man’s back injury leads to creation of revolutionary sleep system

It was a combination of ailments which led Ray Murphy to act, to put in motion the idea that would eventually lead to his latest creation. A lower back injury so painful it disturbed his sleep, was worsened by lying in bed, coincided with wife Hazel getting orthotic insoles to deal with a pain issue she was experiencing with her hip

It occurred to Ray, who has been in the bed business for 10 years, that some of the thinking behind orthotic insoles could work for beds too. Familiar with how beds are manufactured and how important it is to have the right bed, he was also aware of the difficulties encountered by customers in selecting the most appropriate bed surface for their needs.

And so, during lockdown, Ray developed, tested and perfected what would become the An O’Suan Sleep System, using scanning technology to map pressure points and create individual sleep system according to the needs of each individual.

“Layers of natural materials are used which are breathable and cooling, including coconut fibre, natural latex, cashmere wool and silk,” he explains. “These are cut to size and adjusted for each client, then layered over 2,000 pocket springs and encased in an easily removable and washable cover. The An O’Suan Sleep pillow has also been developed following the same innovative concept.”

To verify its efficacy, Dr. John Collier of iD Consulting, was commissioned to carry out an independent study to determine the benefits of the O’Suan Sleep System. The study specifically investigated the effect of the O’Suan Sleep System on the sleep quality of ten participants who self-reported as having problems sleeping due to bad sleep hygiene or posture resulting in pain.

Each participant was scanned using the innovative pressure-mapping technology employed by O’Suan Sleep. An O’Suan Sleep System was then selected for each subject, using layers of natural materials designed and custom made to support the pressure points identified in the scan.

“The results at the end of month two show that there was a significant improvement in all of the participants’ sleep scores,” said Ray. “On average, participants self-reported getting one additional hour of sleep per night. Those with more severe sleep issues at the start of the study self-reported an average of two extra hours of sleep per night.

"All participants self-reported that they felt more alert during the day. Overall, the research carried out by Dr. Collier demonstrates a meaningful improvement in sleep quality and pain reduction.”

At present there are two O’Suan Sleep studios in Gorey and Wexford town – the aim is to expand into other towns and cities as the business grows.

Visit www.osuansleep.com for more information.