India 2020: Sapna Erat Sreedharan / Comprehensive Centre for Sleep Disorders, Department of Neurology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology

Delegate: Sapna Erat Sreedharan

Affiliations: Comprehensive Centre for Sleep Disorders, Department of Neurology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, TRIVANDRUM, INDIA

Short Bio: I am an Additional Professor of Neurology, working in the Comprehensive Centre for Sleep Disorders, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, India, catering to around 450-500 patients with various sleep problems annually. In addition, we also run a polysomnography lab, performing 150-200 sleep studies annually, 70% of them being OSA. Being a tertiary referral centre for Neuro-Cardiac disorders, we also look after neurological and cardiovascular patients with sleep disorders. In addition, we are also conducting many clinical research in sleep, with our focus areas being profile of Narcolepsy in Indians, sleep dysfunction in neuromuscular disorders, screening tools, cognitive dysfunction and low cost therapies for OSA, including utility of Yoga and breathing exercises.

Activity: This year on World Sleep Day 2020, we are planning to conduct educational activities for school children, their parents, and teachers focused on the theme, “Better Sleep, Better Health, Better Planet” in the Trivandrum District.

Our first activity is an Essay and Poster Competition for middle year school students (year 7, 8, 9) on the World Sleep Day 2020 theme. Five schools in the Trivandrum Corporation are participating in the competition.
The World Sleep Day 2020 celebrations will end with an educational session for selected participants from these schools and the public on March 15, 2020 on the theme, “Better Sleep, Better Health, Better Planet.” The session will include 4 health talks related to different aspects of sleep in health, across different ages and common disorders of sleep by faculty of our department, followed by the release of a booklet on sleep and distribution of prizes for best poster and essay to the participants.

Location: India

Date of Activity: March 15,2020

Submitted By: Sapna Erat Sreedharan, Additional Professor of Neurology, Comprehensive Centre for Sleep Disorders, Department of Neurology, SCTIMST, TVM-11