Sleep Medicine Practice and Training in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Sleep medicine as an independent medical specialty is relatively new in Saudi Arabia. Since its foundation, there has been significant growth and an increase in the number of sleep medicine physicians and technologists to meet the continuous increase in demand among the Saudi population. In response to the expansion of sleep medicine in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCHS) established clear guidelines for the accreditation of sleep medicine physicians and technologists in 2012. Currently, there are two training programs providing structured training and certification in sleep medicine in Saudi Arabia. Despite this progress, there are still many difficulties hindering sleep medicine growth in Saudi Arabia, including the shortage of trained technicians, and specialists, the lack of financial support, and awareness of sleep disorders and their profound effects on healthcare workers and healthcare authorities. In the future, it is essential to introduce sleep medicine in the medical educational system at all levels to show the importance of early recognition and management of sleep disorders, in addition to developing research that is necessary to build knowledge about the prevalence of many sleep disorders in order to help to plan the number of sleep specialists and sleep facilities needed to meet the increasing demands. This chapter discusses the current practice of sleep medicine, and the challenges it faces in Saudi Arabia, in addition to the available data and research about common sleep disorders among the Saudi population.