In India, sleep disorders represent a significant, yet overlooked health problem. Apart from various forms of therapy, sleep disorders can also be cured through sleep labs, the latest solution to sleepless nights in the city.
Philips has assisted hospitals and clinics in Tamil Nadu in establishing 15 sleep labs. Some of the sleep labs in Chennai include the Nithra Institute of Sleep Sciences, Respiratory Research Foundation of India and Apollo Hospitals. Philips has assisted many hospitals and clinics in establishing 170 sleep labs in the country till date. These sleep labs also help physicians to accurately diagnose sleep disorders.
Dr N Ramakrishnan, director, Nithra Institute of Sleep Sciences and Senior Consultant in Sleep Medicine, Apollo Hospitals, has seen an alarming rise in the number of cases in the city in terms of sleep disorders.
He says, “Sleep apnea is a dangerous condition marked by brief interruptions in breathing while you sleep. The most common cause of sleep apnea is a blocked airway due to a collapsing of the soft tissue in your throat.” He added, “Some of the most common signs of obstructive sleep apnea besides loud and chronic snoring are, frequent urination at night, morning headaches, memory or learning problems and inability to concentrate, feeling irritable, depressed, or having mood swings that must not be ignored. Those who are obese or have stressful jobs with erratic hours are most prone to sleep disorders like sleep apnea.”
According to the results of a Philips Sleep Survey conducted by The Nielsen Company, most Indians get less than the eight hours of sleep required. An astonishing 11 per cent take leave from work because of lack of sleep. As a warning to these alarming statistics, Dr R Narasimhan, founding chairman of the Respiratory Research Foundation of India says, “Long-term sleep apnea can increase risk of serious medical conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure and depression, among others.”
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