Cayman Islands (March 12, 2019) – Health City Cayman Islands (HCCI) has completed 750 sleep studies, just in time for the global observance of World Sleep Day on Friday, March 15.

World Sleep Day, created by the World Sleep Society, is an internationally recognized awareness event bringing researchers, health professionals and patients together to highlight the importance of sleep and its impact on health.

The slogan for World Sleep Day 2019 is ‘Healthy Sleep, Healthy Aging,’ and is intended to emphasize the importance of sleep in overall health at any age. The focus surrounding the message is that quality of life can be improved with healthy sleep. Conversely, when sleep fails, health declines, decreasing quality of life.

According to the World Sleep Society, sound sleep is a treasured function and one of the core pillars of good health.

Though most sleep disorders are preventable or treatable, less than one-third of sufferers seek professional help.

Lack of healthy sleep has been described as an “epidemic” by the organizers of World Sleep Day. According to the Philips Index for Health and Well-being: A global perspective, 35 per cent of people do not feel they get enough sleep, impacting both their physical and mental health. The same resource notes that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects approximately four per cent of the adult population.

Lack of sleep or poor quality sleep is known to have a significant negative impact on our health in the long and short term. Next day effects of poor quality sleep include a negative impact on our attention span, memory recall and learning. Longer term effects are still being studied, but research studies have found that poor quality sleep or sleep deprivation has been associated with significant health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, weakened immune systems and even some cancers.

There are other consequences to this prevalence of sleep disturbances beyond the direct impact on individual health. 

A US study has estimated the annual economic costs of insomnia to be between $92.5 billion and $107.5 billion. Forty six per cent of individuals with frequent sleep disturbances report missing work or events, or making errors at work, compared to 15 per cent of healthy sleepers.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 71,000 people suffer injuries and 1,550 people die every year because of sleep-related accidents in the US alone.

At Health City Cayman Islands, the Department of Pulmonology encompasses a wide range of care including sleep medicine, delivered in its state-of-the-art sleep laboratory.

Sleep disorder treatments are designed to diagnose underlying causes and restore normal sleep patterns. This care is provided by a multidisciplinary team of specialists because sleep disorders often have a physical, behavioral, and psychological basis.

The Health City Sleep Lab (as it is known) allows patients to stay overnight in a comfortable, hotel-like environment with a private room and bathroom. The HCCI sleep medicine team then analyzes the patient’s sleep utilizing a painless test called a polysomnogram.

During this all-night test, which lasts about seven hours, a trained sleep technologist will place electrodes or monitors on the patient’s head, scalp, finger, chest, legs and abdomen, and a sensor near the nose and mouth. Monitoring is done to assess sleep patterns, identify different breathing patterns, and diagnose potential sleep obstructions.

The functions analyzed include brain activity; movements of the eyes, muscle activity of the chin and limbs; oxygen saturation, nasal and oral airflow, respiratory effort, heart rate and rhythm, blood pressure, snoring and sleep positions.

HCCI offers a full range of sleep disorder testing and treatment. At the patient’s first appointment, sleep specialists provide an initial consultation that lasts 45 to 80 minutes. During this visit, there will be discussion of the patient’s sleep, medical, and psychiatric histories. This visit may also include a physical examination and lab testing i.e., blood work, urinalysis, drug screening or an electrocardiogram (EKG) as necessary. During a shorter, 20 to 60 minute follow-up visit, the sleep specialist will review test results with the patient, initiate treatment, and monitor or modify treatment as needed.

Dr. Archita Joshi-Bhatt, Consultant in Pulmonology, heads the sleep disorders team at HCCI. With over 10 years of experience in respiratory care, she has also completed American Academy of Sleep Medicine affiliated courses in Sleep Medicine.

Dr. Joshi-Bhatt said, “Unfortunately, only about 10% of people suffering from sleep disorders receive appropriate treatment. Even minimal sleep loss can take a toll on one’s mood, energy, and ability to handle stress. Sleep problems hinder daily functioning and can lead to accidents, but when they become chronic, a person’s long-term health can be adversely impacted. We are ready, willing and able at Health City to assist patients with sleep disorders to regain healthy and restorative sleep.”

To mark World Sleep Day on Friday, March 15th, Health City is offering free tours of the Sleep Lab and free screening assessments between 10am and 4pm. To arrange an assessment and tour, patients can send an email to [email protected] or register at the hospital’s main reception desk.