Current Practice of Sleep Medicine in India

The history of sleep medicine dates back to millennia, carrying centuries of wisdom, decades of myths and challenges through the many years of struggle. Having been recognised as a body of knowledge in the last two decades and a formal branch of medicine in modern-day India. The burden of impending clinical practice, research and disproportionate health indices has allowed the tide of sleep medicine to be surfed by multiple specialties. With research interest dating back to 1965, the practice laid its formal beginning with the first sleep lab set up in New Delhi in 1995. The regulatory practices are thin on the ground that impedes the standardization of clinical research, labs or training of personnel in India. Initiatives at the behest of physicians have led to the setup of self-structured regulatory bodies, expanding the network of sleep labs in the country, albeit still very limited in comparison to the size of its populace. Increasing awareness about healthy sleep habits, bridging gaps in research, quality training and standards, improved regulatory frameworks, and translating knowledge from evidence-based medicine will drive the desired public health outcomes as well as the growth of standards and the future of sleep medicine practice in India.