Link to Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health  - http://www.adelaidesleephealth.org.au/

Investigation and treatment of patients with sleep disorders and research into mechanisms and treatment of sleep disorders are the two main areas of this unit. The Clinical service is open Monday to Friday, and the Laboratory is open Sunday to Friday. Entitled Veterans and Non Veteran Public and Private patients are accepted into this unit with a referral from general practitioner or specialist.

Established in 1992 as a referral centre for sleep disorders that may require a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and management and/or Polysomnographic (Sleep Laboratory) study. AISH is affiliated with the Flinders Medical Centre and Flinders University, and provides satellite services in the Northern Territory and Ashford Community Hospital.

The Sleep Institute Administrative offices are located next to the Veterans' Heart Clinic, its laboratory (old physio rooms) adjacent Ward 8 and research staff in blocks B and C. It provides services in several different locations: 

• Clinical and Sleep Laboratory Services RGH
• Satellite Clinical and Sleep Laboratory Services in Darwin
• Satellite Sleep Laboratory Service at Ashford Community Hospital
• SMOSA trial: A study of the effectiveness of a simplified management stategy versus standard care for the diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea
• How does obstructive sleep apnoea affect driving performance?
• Evaluation of an insomnia treatment program
• The effects of hypoxia on respiratory sensations and reflexes
• The role of waking responses and diaphragm position changes in obstructive sleep apnoea
• A comparison of upper airway structure in men vs women with obstructive sleep apnoea
• Patient perceptions of osbructive sleep apnoea care
• Evaluation of a device for treating unstable patterns of breathing in sleep
• The effects of Sjogren's syndrome on sleep and upper airway function
• Are there different sub-types within obstructive sleep apnoea and will these respond to more targeted treatments?
• Cardiovascular consequences of obstructive sleep apnoea

PATIENT - AISH provides a service for Community and Veteran patients.

CLINICAL ACTIVITIES 

Sleep Apnoea - a common disorder affecting mainly men that results in pathologic daytime sleepiness, systemic hypertension, cognitive disturbance and premature cardiovascular morbidity. Effective treatments include weight loss and nasal CPAP.
Sleep Hypoventilation in presence of Advanced Respiratory or Neuromuscular Disease - may be a cause of progressive daytime functional decline. Effectively treated by nocturnal ventilatory support.
Restless Leg Syndrome/Periodic Limb Movement Disorder of Sleep - repetitive twitching limb movements are very common in middle aged and elderly. Can cause sleep fragmentation, insomnia, daytime sleepiness. Effective treatments are available.
Sleep Behaviour Disorders - a complex group of disorders varying from benign self-limited sleep walking, sleep talking or head banging observed in children to adult REM Behaviour Disorder (violent acting out of dreams, typically in elderly men) complex partial seizures and dystonias of sleep.
Insomnia - includes psychophysiologic insomnia; insomnia associated with circadian rhythm disturbances (phase advanced, phase delayed); and insomnia associated with chronic medical or psychiatric disorders.

SLEEP LABORATORY - A modern 7 bed laboratory at Daw Park is equipped with state-of-the-art patient monitoring facilities, sleep analysis computers and other recording devices. The Daw Park Sleep Disorders Unit Staff also supervise studies at Ashford Community Hospital and Darwin.

RESEARCH - AISH is one of Australia's leading centres/or clinical and basic science sleep research with special emphasis on sleep breathing disorders and insomnia.