Singapore – In celebration of World Sleep Day, Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) today released its report, “Unfiltered Sleep: A Global Prioritization Puzzle”, which showcases the results of an international survey conducted online in February by Harris Poll on behalf of Philips. The survey looks at how 6,461 adults across five countries (United States, the Netherlands, Germany, France and Japan) perceive, prioritize and prepare for sleep, as well as how sleep impacts daily responsibilities, from work to relationships and hobbies. The survey found that while there is little debate on the value of sleep, individuals face daily demands which compete for time, often leaving sleep diminished in the list of daily priorities. Through these findings, Philips, a global leader in sleep and respiratory care, aims to start a conversation about an important yet oft forgotten pillar of overall health and wellbeing: sleep health.
With a focus on health at its core, Philips understands that good sleep, in addition to eating well and exercising, is one of the key pieces to nurturing a healthy lifestyle. But as daily priorities shift and time becomes scarce, sleep is often the first on the list to be pushed aside. In fact, Philips’ Unfiltered Sleep survey shows more than 8 in 10 adults globally (84 percent) say that a variety of activities take precedence over a good night’s sleep and one could assume these may even get in the way of things like their love life, family, friends and job.
“Many people tend not to realize the importance of quality sleep and the impact it has on our everyday lives. Lack of quality sleep results in poor productivity, reduced alertness, neuropsychological symptoms and a poor quality of life,” said Adj. Asst. Prof. Sridhar Venkateswaran, Senior Consultant (Respiratory), Department of Medicine, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, Jurong Health Services.
One of the most common causes of poor sleep quality is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA disrupts the sleep cycle and can dramatically impact energy, mental performance, and long term health. A study found that one in three Singaporeans have moderate-to-severe OSA, but 91% of sufferers in that study had never been diagnosed1. Another recently published study also shows that OSA patients have significantly a lower quality of life.2
“OSA can go undiagnosed due to the lack of awareness both on the part of the patients as well as primary care physicians. In the long term, OSA patients can develop hypertension, cerebro and cardiovascular diseases. To address this, education is vital for healthcare practitioners and the public.” Adj. Asst. Prof. Venkateswaran emphasized.
“Currently continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP) remains the gold-standard in the treatment of OSA, especially in moderate to severe cases. Patients should also ensure they exercise regularly, have a healthy diet and have their weight under control. More importantly, if there are any sleep-related symptoms, they should talk to their doctor,” said Adj. Asst. Prof. Venkateswaran.