In a progressive move aimed at advancing healthcare in the Vidarbha region, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Nagpur has inaugurated a state-of-the-art Sleep Lab, designed to diagnose and treat sleep-related disorders, with a special focus on sleep apnea. The facility was formally opened under the guidance of Executive Director Prof. (Dr.) Prashant P. Joshi, marking a significant milestone for both the institute and the local healthcare ecosystem.

The new Sleep Lab is a major addition to the medical services offered by AIIMS Nagpur. The lab will function under the Department of Pulmonary Medicine under the leadership of Dr Sryma PB, Associate professor, providing evaluation and treatment options for various sleep disorders. A sleep study, also called polysomnography, is a test that monitors the body's activity during sleep to help diagnose sleep disorders. It records brain waves, heart rate, breathing, oxygen levels and other vital signs to assess sleep quality and identify potential problems. This test isn’t painful and takes one night to complete.

Sleep disorders are conditions that affect the ability to sleep well on a regular basis. Common sleep disorders include insomnia or sleeplessness, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy or sleep attacks. Most common among sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA is a serious medical condition in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. The prevalence in India is estimated at 11% of adults or 104 million Indians. Sleep apnea, if left untreated, can lead to various complications such as hypertension, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and daytime fatigue. It can also severely affect a person's quality of life, leading to mood disturbances, decreased productivity, and impaired cognitive function. Hence it is necessary that people with symptoms seek early diagnosis and treatment. It is closely linked to obesity—a growing problem in India. As the country grapples with rising obesity rates and is often referred to as the "diabetes capital of the world," the prevalence of sleep apnea and other sleep-related disorders has surged.

Awareness about OSA is often distorted as most Indians associate snoring with restful sleep. Presence of such facilities especially in premier institutions across the country will facilitate to raise awareness and enable early detection and treatment for millions of suffering Indians.