Sleep Disorders Prevalence Studies in Indian Population

Abstract

Sleep is a necessary part of human functioning. Sleep disorders impair quality of life and thereby pose many health-related problems. The disease burden for sleep disorders is huge among the Indian population. Commonly found sleep disorders are insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, hypersomnia, restless leg syndrome, and shift work disorder. Sleep Medicine is a recent field in the Indian sub-continent, the availability of data is sparse. Most of these studies are performed on the urban population and are based on subjective questionnaires. Sleep deprivation has a deteriorating effect on overall well being including weight gain, cardiovascular risks, diabetes, and cognition. The current review article highlights prevalence studies with special emphasis on the Indian population, thereby creating a need to spread awareness regarding the sleep disorders among physicians as well as the general population.