Philips’ Wake Up Call To Indore On Potential Health Hazards Posed By Sleep Disorders

Oct. 25, 2012 - PRLog -- PHILIPS’ WAKE UP CALL TO INDORE ON POTENTIAL HEALTH HAZARDS POSED BY SLEEP DISORDERS

Indore: Philips Electronics India Limited (PEIL) today called for greater awareness on common sleep disorders that affect an overwhelming estimate of 93% of Indians* and pose serious health hazards.

Madhya Pradesh being one of the states witnessing a significant rise in the number of sleep disorders, Philips, together with Dr. Pramod Jhawar-a leading practitioner in Sleep and owner of first sleep centre in MP - Jhawar Chest & Sleep Study centre and Dr. Anil Agrawal - Pulmonologist at CHL Hospitals, Indore, highlighted the causes, symptoms and treatments available for sleep disorders.

Lack of sleep not only impacts the overall quality and productivity of a person’s life but also leads to serious health issues such as increased risk of diabetes, weight gain, high blood pressure and irregular heartbeats among others. If left untreated, lack of sleep and snoring could signal a more serious condition such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a condition characterized by the repeated cessation of breathing during sleep and which can potentially lead to heart disease, worsen heart failure and in rare cases even trigger heart attacks.

“Despite the alarming and well-documented consequences of not sleeping enough, it is still not considered a serious health issue in India. What people do not understand is that sleep is not optional, but critical to one’s health, and hence we are encouraging people to cultivate better sleeping habits and live healthier lives,” said Bidur Dhaul, Senior Director, Home Health Care, Philips Healthcare India. “People who are experiencing poor sleep must visit a doctor for a diagnosis because it could be Obstructive Sleep Apnea. If detected on time, this can be treated and one can avoid more serious health issues like heart diseases.”

In India, sleep disorders represent a significant yet overlooked health problem. As a global leader in sleep-related solutions, Philips has been consistently working towards raising awareness of sleep disorders and providing sleep-related solutions in India through a holistic four-pronged approach. This involves creating awareness about sleep disorders, providing solution for diagnosis and therapy, offering requisite education and training to the medical fraternity and finally, monitoring post-therapy patient progress.

As part of this drive, Philips has assisted many hospitals and clinics in Madhya Pradesh in establishing more than 12 sleep labs. 4 of these sleep labs are in Indore, including those at Jhawar Chest Care centre, Arvindo Medical College, Jafrey Allergy centre and R D Gaurdi Medical College, Ujjain.  In all, Philips has assisted in establishing 200 sleep labs in the country till date. These sleep labs also help physicians accurately diagnose sleep disorders, while Philips provides technology, facilities and training.

Highlighting the symptoms of sleep apnea, Dr. Pramod Jhawar said, “Some of the most common signs of Obstructive Sleep Apnea are loud and chronic snoring, frequent urination at night, morning headaches, memory or learning problems and inability to concentrate, feeling irritable, depressed, or having mood swings. If one can relate to any or all of these symptoms, it must not be ignored.  Those who are obese or have stressful jobs with erratic hours are most prone to sleep disorders like Sleep Apnea and must consult a physician at the earliest.”

“In the past 2-3years, we have seen a steep rise in the number of Sleep Apnea cases in Madhya Pradesh and it is critical that we start recognizing the severity of the problem. Especially since Sleep Apnea can put you at risk of much graver health problems like heart disease. Fortunately, today there are several treatment options available including Continuous Positive Airway Pressure to surgical options that can help us address the problem once it has been diagnosed.” added Dr Anil Agrawal.

According to the results of the Philips Sleep Survey, conducted by The Nielsen Company, 93% Indians are sleep-deprived, getting less than the 8 hours of sleep they need every day. An astonishing 11% take leave from work because of lack of sleep. The survey was conducted among  5600 respondents in the age group of 35 to 65 years across 25 cities in urban India with a population of 5 lakh and upwards. The Survey also reveals that 58% feel that their work suffers due to lack of adequate sleep while 11% actually fall asleep at work. 72% report waking up anywhere between 1-3 times during their sleep. A whopping 87% agree they are aware that lack of sleep affects their health.

The survey amplifies the need for education on OSA and other sleep disorders which are not taken seriously enough among the individuals suffering from them. 62 percent of those polled displayed high risk of OSA while 3.3 per cent were likely sufferers of OSA. The survey also uncovered a disturbing fact that 14 per cent of Indians exhibit pauses in their breathing at night, anywhere from one to more than three times per week. Pausing in breathing, like snoring, is an OSA indicator, corroborating this link; the survey found that the proportion of this high risk group increased further to 90 per cent in those suffering from hypertension and diabetes or hypertension and cardiovascular disease.  


For more information, please contact:

Nirjhara Rastogi
Corporate Communications
Philips Electronics India Limited
Tel: +91-124-4606019
Email: Nirjhara.rastogi@philips.com