‘There are more than 80 sleeping disorders’

There are more than 80 sleeping disorders with varied degrees of influence on the physical, psychological and social well-being of the sufferers, said experts at the inauguration of the Sleep School 2012 at the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) on Monday.
Highlighting the relevance of the course on sleep-related medical and non-medical intervention offered through the Sleep School 2012 project of DUHS, they said that the disorder could not be ignored, as it is directly linked to the physical, mental and social well-being of the people.
Sleep Clinic for Children & Adults Chief Executive Officer Dr Pamela Hamilton-Stubbs said that sleeping disorders range from basic snoring to severe sleep apnoea.
“Sleep apnoea worldwide is mostly undiagnosed and affects millions in developed and non-developed countries,” said the expert.
Dr Hamilton-Stubbs said that sleep problems are increasingly recognised as an important manifestation of different diseases.
Impaired sleep quality and short sleep duration might be associated with decline in overall health and could also cause mortality, warned the speaker, mentioning that social and demographic influences are important for sleep attainment.
With regard to Occupation Sleep Medicine, she said that it is a new field within sleep medicine and is closely linked to the science of sleep.
“This encompasses mathematical modelling, tactics, techniques, producer of sleep and performance measurement in the operation environment,” said the expert.
The clinical practice of Sleep Medicine would play a crucial role in fatigue risk management. In short term, it improves performance, productivity and safety, while in longer term, it improves workers’ health and well-being.
Dr Saifullah Baig said that many sleep disorders cause an increase in daytime sleepiness and an increase in road traffic accidents. “It is associated with many systemic disorders like hypertension,” he said.
Dr Baig said that the course has been arranged in collaboration with Philips Respironics to build knowledge and expertise about sleep medicine.
“The course focuses on the needs of the physicians and technicians who want to develop skill in sleep medicine practice,” he said.
DUHS Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Masood Hameed Khan said that the concept of sleep medicine belongs to the second half of the 20th century. “It is a recognised sub-specialty in the West, but in our country, it is a neglected field,” he said.
The vice chancellor said that DUHS has taken the initiative to establish the first public sector sleep laboratory at its Ojha campus, where a specialised and experienced team of dedicated sleep professionals would provide the highest quality of care for the evaluation and treatment of people with sleep disorders. “The vision is to provide a state-of-the-art facility at affordable price to all,” he said.
Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases Director Dr Iftekhar Ahmed said that the course would raise awareness among the participants about sleep disorders, help them in understanding and diagnosing the problem in general, and the hands-on training would help them in building skill.