SIMS Hospital Unveils India’s First Comprehensive Sleep Institute Integrating 10 Specialties
Chennai, February 19, 2026: Marking a significant milestone in India’s sleep care landscape, SIMS Hospital has inaugurated the Integrated Sleep Institute, the country’s first fully coordinated, multidisciplinary centre dedicated exclusively to sleep health. Designed to address the fragmented nature of conventional sleep treatment, the institute brings together 10 medical specialties under a single, structured framework, integrating medical, surgical, diagnostic and supportive services into a seamless, evidence-based care pathway.
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L to R: Dr. Karthick Madesh Ratnavelu, Director and Senior Consultant, ENT, Head & Neck Surgeon, Dr. Balaji, Director of Medical Science, Ms. Aishwarya Rajesh, Indian Actress, Dr. Ravi Pachamuthu, Chairman of SRM Group, Dr. Raju Sivaswamy, Vice President, SIMS Hospitals, Chennai |
The institute was inaugurated by actress Aishwarya Rajesh, who starred in the Tamil film DeAr, which explored the impact of snoring on relationships. Ravi Pachamuthu, Chairman of SRM Group, attended as Guest of Honour.
The Sleep Institute offers comprehensive and personalised treatment for neurological, psychological and respiratory sleep disorders across all age groups. A multidisciplinary team comprising ENT surgeons, pulmonologists, neurologists, bariatric specialists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and dentists collaborate under gold-standard protocols. Treatments include Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) therapies such as CPAP, Auto PAP and BiPAP, alongside minimally invasive endoscopic, plasma-based and radiofrequency procedures designed to be precise, bloodless and painless.
The facility houses a dedicated sleep lab with exclusive cabins for attended sleep studies, where real-time data is analysed to assess sleep’s impact on brain, respiratory and cardiovascular function. The institute is also equipped to perform Drug Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE), enabling specialists to visualise airway obstruction under simulated natural sleep conditions.
Beyond medical and surgical care, the centre provides counselling and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)-based treatment for insomnia and sleep apnoea. It also offers specialised sleep optimisation programmes for sports professionals who frequently travel across time zones.
Speaking at the launch, Aishwarya Rajesh highlighted the health and relational impact of sleep disorders, noting that untreated snoring and sleep disturbances can affect both well-being and family dynamics.
Dr. Ravi Pachamuthu said the institute redefines sleep disorder management in India by functioning as a unified, multidisciplinary centre rather than isolated departments, ensuring collaborative and evidence-based decision-making for both paediatric and adult patients.
Dr. Karthik Madesh Ratnavelu, Director and Senior Consultant, ENT, who heads the Sleep Institute, emphasised that a significant proportion of patients experiencing stroke and nighttime cardiac events have underlying sleep disorders. He compared the long-term risks of untreated sleep apnoea to those of smoking in cancer.
Each patient at the institute will be assigned a dedicated sleep navigator to coordinate diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. A structured sleep board comprising airway specialists, pulmonologists, neurologists and CBT experts reviews every case, discusses options with patients and families, and finalises personalised treatment plans with informed consent.
Highlighting preventive care, Dr. Karthik underscored the importance of sleep hygiene — maintaining consistent wake times, seeking morning sunlight exposure, finishing dinner at least two hours before bedtime, and avoiding late-night disruptions — to preserve circadian rhythm and reduce long-term health risks.
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