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Press Information
March 18, 2011
Philips and World Association of Sleep Medicine join efforts to expand people’s
awareness of the impact of sleep on health and well-being
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Special sleep module launched as part of the Philips SimplyHealthy@Schools
program
Philips calls on people to take the online self-assessment Sleep Quiz
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI)
announced today a global partnership with the World Association of Sleep Medicine
(WASM), as official sponsor of World Sleep Day 2011, being held across the globe on
Friday March 18. This partnership illustrates Philips’ expanding efforts to increase
awareness of how sleep impacts people’s health and well-being all around the world, on
a daily basis.
“Philips is honored to be working with the World Association of Sleep Medicine,”
commented Dr. David White, Chief Medical Officer for Philips Home Healthcare
Solutions and a Professor of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School. “Through the
sponsorship of the World Sleep Day we aim to increase people’s understanding of the
seriousness of sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) which, if not
properly managed, can have a significant impact on a person’s health and well-being.”
Commenting on the sponsorship with Philips, Antonio Culebras, Professor of Neurology
at SUNY, Upstate Medical University in New York, and co-Chair of World Sleep Day
said, “We’re excited to be working with Philips in raising awareness of the significant and
increasing impact lack of sleep is having on people across the world.”
At the same time, Philips, together with leading Australian sleep researcher Dr. Sarah
Blunden (www.sleepeducation.net.au) and the WASM, announced the launch of a new
educational module on sleep for children around the world, as part of the
SimplyHealthy@Schools program. Available online at www.simplyhealthyatschools.com,
the program aims to support teachers in educating children between the ages of 8 and
12 years, on the importance of sleep and how it can help to improve their health and
well-being.
“More than ever we recognize how important a good night’s sleep is to our health and
well-being, and our ability to function properly during the day. Through the
SimplyHealthy@Schools program, we hope to be able to bring this lesson to the
classroom and ensure children around the world can benefit from a better understanding
of the day-to-day impact of sleep,” said Dr. Blunden, Pediatric Sleep Research Fellow at
the Centre for Sleep Research, University of South Australia and director of the
Australian Centre for Education in Sleep (ACES).
The fourth annual World Sleep Day - ‘Sleep Well, Grow Healthy’ - is themed to highlight
the importance of sleep for people of all ages. Newborn infants, children, adolescents
and adults, both young and old, need quality sleep to maintain a healthy life.
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The scale of the problem is highlighted by the recently published Philips Index for Health
and Well-being report - a massive consumer research study conducted across 23
countries and involving more than 31,000 people, that reveals 35 percent of people do
not feel they get enough sleep, impacting on both their physical and mental health*.
Interestingly, with almost half of those responding citing ‘poor sleeper in general’ as a
reason for sleep deprivation – it suggests that many may have just resigned themselves
to not ever getting a good night’s sleep.
In reality, there are a number of potential causes for a disturbed night’s sleep. These
include sleep disorders such as OSA, which affects approximately 4 percent of the adult
population. It’s a disorder characterized by airway collapse (behind the tongue) during
sleep, which obstructs breathing. If untreated, it can contribute to the development of
high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes. Snoring should also not be
ignored in children, as it may be a symptom of OSA.
As a global leader in the management of sleep disorders, Philips innovates to find
meaningful solutions that improve the health and well-being of people around the world,
and has developed a wide range of products and solutions, from diagnostic tools through
to patient-centered sleep therapy devices, to help enhance the quality of sleep.
To find out more about World Sleep Day 2011 and what’s happening in your local area,
visit www.worldsleepday.org.
Philips also calls upon everyone who thinks they suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea
(OSA) to take its self-assessment Sleep Quiz which can be found online at
www.philips.com/sleepapnoea.
* This data is taken from a sub-analysis of the Philips Index for Health and Well-being, involving almost 14,000 people
from 10 different countries
For further information, please contact:
Steve Klink
Philips Corporate Communications
Tel: +31 20 597 7415
Email: [email protected]
Joon Knapen
Philips Healthcare
Tel: +1 978 659 1990
Email: [email protected]
Sarah Campbell
Philips Healthcare Asia Pacific
Tel: +61 (2) 9947 0472
Email: [email protected]
Notes to Editors:
About the World Association of Sleep Medicine
The World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM) is committed to researching and
solving sleep problems in children and adults alike. It dedicates its efforts in 2011 to
educate the world on important sleep topics, including improving the sleep of both adults
and children. World Sleep Day events will take place primarily online at
www.worldsleepday.org, featuring educational videos, education materials, and public
service announcements.
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About Royal Philips Electronics
Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is a diversified
health and well-being company, focused on improving people’s lives through timely
innovations. As a world leader in healthcare, lifestyle and lighting, Philips integrates
technologies and design into people-centric solutions, based on fundamental customer
insights and the brand promise of “sense and simplicity”. Headquartered in the
Netherlands, Philips employs 119,000 employees in more than 60 countries worldwide.
With sales of EUR 25.4 billion in 2010, the company is a market leader in cardiac care,
acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting
applications, as well as lifestyle products for personal well-being and pleasure with
strong leadership positions in flat TV, male shaving and grooming, portable
entertainment and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at
www.philips.com/newscenter.
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