“Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high, Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake” Rabindranath Tagore 

When Nobel winner Shri Rabindranath Tagore wrote these immortal lines, he would not imagined that India would be sleep deprived by the 21st century. According to a study conducted by a consumer products giant in 2015, nearly 93% Indians are sleep-deprived. The changing lifestyle and intrusion of modern gadgets have only aggravated the situation. The interesting part is that most people are not even aware of their condition. That is affecting the health of most citizens in the country.

Realizing the situation, Philips Healthcare India, has taken the lead in tackling sleep deprivation or sleep disorders and this week,announced celebrated actors Ram Kapoor and Gautami Kapoor as their brand ambassadors towards creating awareness around sleep disorders. This is the first time in India that actors are coming forward to be a part of a sleep ailment like sleep apnea.

Expressing his delight over partnering with Philips Mr. Ram Kapoor said, “I am glad to be associated with Philips in building awareness around sleep apnea in India. After learning that sleep disorders can lead to serious medical conditions, I realized that it was imperative for people to understand the importance of good and healthy sleep. Gautami and I hope to make significant impact on the lives of people by making them more informed about this ailment.”

Sharing her comments on the issue Dr. Manvir Bhatia, said, “Owing to our busy lifestyles and hectic schedule, we avoid taking care of ourselves and health takes a backseat. Snoring, lack of sleep, if untreated can lead to an increased risk of severe medical conditions like Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) which can further lead to life threating health issues like diabetes, weight gain, high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat. I am happy that Philips has acknowledged the issues and is working towards raising awareness around sleep apnea.”

“Philips has worked extensively in this field and we are excited to be associating ourselves with eminent actors like Ram and Gautami Kapoor. Reiterating its commitment, Philips setup over 500 sleep labs throughout the country to study sleep disorders and understand treatment modalities. The company who is committed to providing the means to lead a healthy lifestyle and improve quality of life has also trained over 400 sleep technicians in India.” said Mr. Priyank Aggarwal, Vice President Strategy, Business Development and Head-Philips Homecare Business, Philips India.

In India, 93% of the populations is sleep-deprived, but only 2% Indian discuss their sleep issues with physicians. The prevalence of OSA is high in Western India. Statistics reveal that OSA in Indian males varied from 4.4% to 19.7% while among females it ranged from 2.5% to 7.4%. In context to OSA’s prevalence in different age groups, the elderly have been observed to have high snoring and high excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) with 27% being habitual snorers. OSA is also correlated with heart failure which is 12-16% more prevalent in OSA patients. It has also been observed that approximately 60-70% of OSA patients are obese.

So if any of you readers have having issues going to sleep at night or have excessive sleepiness in the day, do discuss the same with your physicians. Ancient Indian practices have laid a lot of importance on sleep. According to Ayurveda, the best time to go to bed is right around, or just before, 10:00 p.m., when Kapha gives way to Pitta. And it is important to get about 7-8 hours of sleep daily. So do consult your physician and if you have any questions for us or want to understand more about the subject do write back to us on contact@healthcare-in-india,net