Philips launches "World's Sleepiest Website" to help restless sleepers maximize their slumber

AMSTERDAM, March 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) today announced the launch of the "World's Sleepiest Website," an online resource to help those who struggle with sleep get a better night's rest. Released in support of the World Association of Sleep Medicine's annual World Sleep Day, the website features a variety of visual content, including videos and images to help restless sleepers and to serve as a resource for chronically sleep deprived individuals who may have an underlying sleep issue. The campaign aims to drive awareness and education around sleep issues, and is the latest effort in the company's continued dedication to enhance the lives of patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or other serious sleep disorders.

Sleep debt is a global problem
While the occasional sleepless night can be frustrating and inconvenient, people who consistently suffer from inadequate sleep can experience poor academic or work performance. According to a 2015 Philips Respironics survey that surveyed people in 10 countries, 96 percent said sleep was valuable to them and 87 percent ranked sleep as an influence on their overall health and wellbeing; however of those surveyed, only 17 percent consistently slept through the night.

"Sleep impacts everything we do, and it's no secret that we're not getting the recommended eight hours," said Dr. Teofilo Lee-Chiong, M.D., Chief Medical Liaison, Philips. "While it's one thing to recognize lack of sleep as an issue, it's another to take active steps to get a better night's sleep. With this website, we hope to engage the average person in thinking about how sleep contributes to their overall health and wellbeing."

For those struggling to sleep at night, SendMeToSleep.com provides:

• "Relaxing" Content to Encourage Sleep: Whether it is a baby falling asleep, a video of white noise, people yawning, or the classic standby of a sheep hopping a fence, SendMeToSleep.com features a variety of visual content to help inspire slumber.
• Helpful Tips for Sleeping Soundly: The site features tips to help individuals get their sleep back on track, including advice, insight on how the world sleeps differently, foods that assist with a good night's sleep, and keys to help with snoring.
• Resources to Help Identify Underlying Conditions: The site also provides articles, quizzes, and other resources for individuals to help them on their way to a good night's sleep.

When it is more than a restless night
More than 100 million people globally¹ suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Chronic sleep or respiratory conditions can have devastating effects if not treated or diagnosed, and it is estimated that 80 percent of patients with OSA remain undiagnosed, which can impact long-term health by turning sleep or breathing into a burden.

"Based on our long history in sleep therapy innovation, we know that it can be hard for OSA patients to stick with therapy, but the first challenge is getting them diagnosed," said Mark Aloia, senior director of global clinical research of Philips. "There are a substantial amount of people that have classic signs of OSA, but still remain undiagnosed, and a lot of the time it is because they don't know that their restlessness at night isn't normal."

Visit SendMeToSleep.com to get inspired for slumber or take part in the conversation by following #SendMeToSleep on Twitter: @PhilipsHealth and @PhilipsResp, and Philips Respironics on Facebook.

For further information, please contact:

Kathy O'Reilly
Philips
Tel: +1 978-659-2638
Mobile: +1 978-221-8919
Email: [email protected] 
Twitter: @kathyoreilly

Alicia Cafardi
Philips
412-523-9616
[email protected]

About Royal Philips
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people's lives through meaningful innovation in the areas of Healthcare, Consumer Lifestyle and Lighting. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips posted 2015 sales of EUR 24.2 billion and employs approximately 104,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. The company is a leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as male shaving and grooming and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.

¹ http://www.stopbang.ca/osa/prevalence.php

Video - http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/FX-20160318-NE50304.mp4
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140122/NE50581LOGO

SOURCE Royal Philips

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