‘Sleep disorder’ causes poor performance at workplaces

FE Report | Published: April 23, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

Philips India Ltd (PIL), a diversified health company, Tuesday strongly emphasised on creating greater awareness about 'sleep disorder' among the people to mitigate the problem as it causes serious diseases like brain stroke and poor performance at the workplaces.
At a press conference at a city hotel, the company announced its commitment to hold various types of campaign and training programme about the sleep disorder, which is caused mainly from taking fast food, lack of exercise, drinking alcohol and obesity.
Md Ali Hossain, Prof of Respiratory Medicine, National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital, Dr Md Jakir Hossain Sarkar, senior consultant Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine, Lab Aid Hospital, Dr Mohammad Murtaza Khair, consultant pulmonology and sleep medicine, Square Hospital, and Bidur Dhaul, Senior Director, Home Health Care, Philips Healthcare South Asia, addressed the press conference.
On behalf of PIL, Mr Dhaul announced setting up of 30 sleep labs in Bangladesh by the next five years in collaboration with different hospitals, facilitating diagnosis of the disease.
"Of the 30 labs, 10 will be established within this year, 2014" Mr Dhaul said.
Currently, there are only four such labs, including one public, in the country, officials said.
They further said that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a type of sleep disorder, causes serious diseases including diabetes, hypertension, brain stroke, heart attack and poor performance at the workplace.
OSA is a condition characterised by the repeated cessation of breathing during sleep. Extreme symptoms of OSA are excessive daytime sleepiness, extreme tiredness and irritability that not only affect the productivity and overall quality of life but also results in work related accidents or traffic accidents.
Main solution to the problem is usage of a particular machine during sleep; the small-sized machine facilitates smooth breathing, removing the problem, they said. Price of the product is about Tk 30,000.
Presenting a survey report that shows some alarming facts about the prevalence of sleep disorders in the South Asia, they estimated such scenario in also Bangladesh, where any specific study in this connection is yet to be conducted till now.
"We want to sensitise and draw people's attention towards sleep disorders; this problem is easy to address once you take the first step of consulting your doctor," Mr Dhaul said
As part of its drive to address the disease, Philips already assisted hospitals in Dhaka by establishing several sleep labs, including those at National Institute of Chest Diseases and Hospital, Lab-aid Hospital and Square Hospital.
The labs, among others, help physicians accurately diagnose sleep disorders while Philips provides technology, training and other facilities, he said.
Mr Ali Hossain said, "An estimated 5 to 9 per cent of urban population is suffering from OSA with symptoms like snoring, day time sleepiness, obesity. These patients often remain undiagnosed."