Our Research - Sleep Medicine
Sleep is essential for the physical upkeep of the body, but it also helps maintain cognitive skills, such as attention, learning, memory, and emotional regulation. Sleep disturbances are implicated in the development of mental health disturbances ranging from depression to cognitive decline e.g. Alzheimer’s disease.
The Department of Sleep Medicine in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh has been diagnosing and treating sleep disorders in adults for 40 years. The Department sees about 4,000 new patients a year and has a seven-bed facility for performing polysomnography. We also use home diagnostics for limited sleep studies in the investigation of possible sleep apnoea.
Research
Our research is primarily clinically based and encompasses all areas of sleep medicine. Current research interests include:
- Impact of sleep and sleep disorders on mental health and quality of life
- The relationship between mental health, trauma and sleep disorders
- Treatment of sleep-disordered breathing in neurological disorders
- Circadian rhythm disorders
- Narcolepsy
- Parasomnias
- Medico-legal aspects of sleep disorders
- Sleep-disordered breathing in intellectual disability and also pregnancy
We are members of the European Sleep Apnoea Database Project (ESADA), EU-Narcolepsy network (EU-NN) and the international RBD study group consortium (IRBDSG).
Our strong focus on research and teaching has resulted in over 400 original publications. Many of these form the basis of best practice guidelines in the investigation and treatment of sleep disorders on an international level. Dr Riha has recently been appointed as chief editor of the European Respiratory Review (2022-2025).
Teaching and training
We have attracted postgraduate students from across the world, including Europe, South America, Australasia and the Middle East, studying at both masters and doctoral levels through research at the Sleep Research Unit. We also teach undergraduates at the University. We welcome all forms of collaboration and the inaugural sleep research network for the University of Edinburgh was held in 2018.
We are regularly invited to teach on national and international courses run by a variety of organisations including the European Sleep Research Society (ESRS), the European Respiratory Society (ERS), British Thoracic Society (BTS) and the British Sleep Society (BSS)
Our internationally renowned sleep courses are run through Sleep Consultancy Ltd.
UoE researchers who work in this area include:
- Dr. Renata Riha
- Stevie Williams
- Dr. Ian Morrison (University of Dundee)
- Dr. Chris Derry
Useful weblinks
- University of Edinburgh Sleep Research Unit home page
- European Sleep Research Society
- European Respiratory Society