Editorial

Here, we present the first issue of Journal of Turkish Sleep Medicine (Türk Uyku Tıbbı Dergisi). Before summarizing the manuscripts of this issue I will try to describe the prospect of our journal for sleep medicine.

Sleep medicine has rapidly evolved in a rather short time period of last 50-60 years, and has reached a state that relates different disciplines. Sleep, which makes up of almost a third of life, has started to be better understood in the light of such scientific advances. Sleep related breathing disorders, excessive sleepiness, insomnia, parasomnias, sleep related movement disorders, sleep disorders associated with many of the chronic diseases, sleep wake cycle changes due to the necessities of the production cycle, and accidents, health consequences and social problems due to sleep disorders are some of the main topics included in this large list.

Besides the periodical publications specific to sleep medicine, sections related to sleep medicine in many of the journals in different areas could be regarded as an indicator of this advance. Here, we have to acknowledge the two valuable scientists, Dr. Ismet Karacan and Dr. Şevket Akpınar. Dr. Ismet Karacan together with his investigations and invention about nocturnal penile tumescence has acted as a world scale pioneer for sleep medicine, and contributed to the training of numerous researchers from Turkey and different countries all over the world. Dr. Şevket Akpınar upon his scientific suspicion and investigations has been the first to show that restless legs syndrome could be treated by dopaminergic drugs. Together with these milestones, physicians and researchers from different specialties in Turkey as in other countries have received training for sleep medicine and played a crucial role in the organization of sleep laboratories and sleep centers, doing sleep research and training physicians and technicians related to this field.

Turkish Sleep Medicine Society (TSMS) was established in 1992 (Turkish Sleep Research Society then) to represent this background. Congresses updating the scientific knowledge, training activities, courses, standardization procedures of sleep centers, publication of books and guidelines and conducting nationwide sleep epidemiology research are among the activities of our society. As a member of ESRS (European Sleep Research Society), TSMS represents Turkish sleep medicine in the international arena. Journal of Turkish Sleep Medicine (Türk Uyku Tıbbı Dergisi), of which we are presenting the first issue, is an official publication of TSMS. Our journal is aiming to provide a scientific mileu for sharing and discussing the research findings, basic knowledge and state of art related to sleep medicine to help for the advancement of sleep medicine in Turkey.  

Your contribution and critique will provide support for our efforts.    

With best regards.

Ahmet U. Demir, MD
Editor

On behalf of Turkish Sleep Medicine Society
and Editorial Board