Raman Malhotra, MD

“There is data suggesting that patients do better when they are able to sleep more comfortably and in a quiet environment after suffering a neurological disease.”

, Raman Malhotra, MD, associate professor of neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, commented on the importance of sleep for patients recovering from injury and neurological disorders in both the acute care setting and later in long-term care facilities. Ensuring proper lighting, noise control, and other factors can help to aid in patients’ sleep while they remain under medical supervision. 

Malhotra’s comments highlight a major point of a recent position statement from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), which outlines the importance of sleep as a biological necessity. Prioritizing sleep for patients during transitions from one setting to another may have a major impact on how well patients recover. According to Malhotra, steps to facilitate better sleep are relatively simple to enact; however, it is important that direct attention is called to their implementation. 

Although some hospitals do actively prioritize sleep and ensure patients and staff are cognizant of methods to create healthy sleep settings, few official standards are currently in place, Malhotra explained. Implementing noise and lighting control, in addition to monitoring patients’ sleep are just a few ways to optimize sleep conditions, according to the AASM statement. 

Ramar K, Malhotra RK, Carden KA, et al. Sleep is essential to health: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine position statement. J

 Published online June 21, 2021. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.9476 

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Just as sleep is a necessity each night, it is of further benefit when patients are recovering from injury in the hospital and rehabilitation settings. 

Sleep for Recovery in Hospitals and Rehabilitation Centers: Raman Malhotra, MD

“I think we still learning why … and what interventions can we do besides just saying, ‘get enough sleep,’ that’s going to be important to preserve that brain health.”

Connections between sleep health and neurological disorders remains an area where additional research is needed, according to Raman Malhotra, MD, associate professor of neurology, Washington University in St. Louis. Although, Malhotra believes research is still in its infancy when it comes to the impact of sleep on conditions such as dementia, recent studies have shown sleep obtained in young to mid-adulthood may eventually affect brain health in later years.

When treating sleep conditions, Malhotra further discussed new technological advancements in measuring sleep as an area where sleep experts often struggle. In discussion with 

, Malhotra called attention to the altered environment patients experience when sleep is studied in sleep clinics, which may not be representative of true sleep states and patterns. Implementing new techniques where researchers can measure sleep quality at home may be the answer to learning more about how sleep impacts health.

By integrating these safe and noninvasive techniques, sleep health and sleep disorders may be more easily evaluated and diagnosed, effectively advancing initiatives outlined in a recent position statement published by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. According to the statement, sleep not only plays a vital role in overall well-being, but continues to affect people of all ages and impact general public safety. 

Ramar K, Malhotra RK, Carden KA, et al. Sleep is essential to health: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine position statement. 

. Published online June 21, 2021. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.9476 

Experts continue to explore connections between sleep health and neurological disorders, as well as technology for measuring patients’ sleep.  

Sleep Research and Effects on Neurological Conditions: Raman Malhotra, MD

“We all recognize some of the major health issues that our country is facing, whether it is obesity, heart health, stroke, dementia, and it’s very important to see how sleep plays a role in those…it is a major landmark that the federal government [and] multiple medical societies, who also supported this statement, recognized that sleep is part of that solution.”

Raman Malhotra, MD, associate professor of neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, discussed the inclusion of sleep initiatives in Healthy People 2030, a national, data-driven initiative incorporating multiple aspects of health to achieve goals and improve overall well-being. According to Malhotra, the program including and recognizing sleep as a component of overall health is a major landmark for sleep research.

Not getting enough sleep persists within the US, and as other health issues such as heart health, dementia, and obesity are recognized, it is necessary to understand how sleep plays a part in respective solutions. Incorporating recommendations and benchmarks for sleep, particularly the duration, timing, regularity, quality, and absence of sleep disorders, can help to ensure that individuals are getting enough sleep each night, according to a recent position statement from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. 

In conversation with NeurologyLive, Malhotra spoke on the importance of increasing public awareness of sleep health, as well as how meeting different sleep metrics can help the population become healthier in general. Tracking and meeting sleep goals, Malhotra said, continues to facilitate progress when it comes to improving sleep in the US population.

Ramar K, Malhotra RK, Carden KA, et al. Sleep is essential to health: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine position statement. 

. Published online June 21, 2021. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.9476

The associate professor of neurology at Washington University in St. Louis discussed how developing programs focused on sleep health are a step to increasing awareness and understanding its integral role in overall well-being.  

Establishing Sleep Initiatives and “Healthy People 2030”: Raman Malhotra, MD 

“We feel that, just like we promote other healthy aspects of nutrition and exercise, sleep should be part of that, and I think that will go a long way, as kids understand how important [sleep] is for their health.”

Educational structure and curriculum regarding sleep health are areas in need of improvement, according to Raman Malhotra, MD. The need to educate children on sleep health and integrate sleep into curriculum across all education levels, just as with nutrition and exercise, will further help children understand the importance of sleep as it pertains to overall health, explained Malhotra, an associate professor of neurology at Washington University in St. Louis.

, Malhotra outlined the need to start educating children at a young age in order to create healthy impressions and behaviors, which are more difficult to change later in life. He further emphasized resources available on the American Academy of Sleep Education’s (AASM) website, which provide learning tools and examples for incorporating sleep education across all levels, from elementary to college students. 

Malhotra’s statement coincides with a recently published position statement from AASM, addressing and emphasizing the need to increase sleep awareness. Sleep is recognized as vital for both individual health and general public safety, necessitating the need for further circadian research and understanding into how sleep affects quality of life. 

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Raman Malhotra, MD, associate professor of neurology at Washington University in St. Louis, commented on the importance of sleep education, particularly for younger generations.  

Raman Malhotra, MD

Articles

Sleep for Recovery in Hospitals and Rehabilitation Centers: Raman Malhotra, MD

Sleep Research and Effects on Neurological Conditions: Raman Malhotra, MD

Establishing Sleep Initiatives and “Healthy People 2030”: Raman Malhotra, MD

Educating Patients on Sleep: Raman Malhotra, MD