Philips and World Association of Sleep Medicine Join Efforts to Expand People's Awareness of the Impact of Sleep on Health and Well-Being

Amsterdam, The Netherlands (ots/PRNewswire) - Royal
Philips Electronics 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 (http://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 http://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.

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 http://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 http://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

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
http://www.worldsleepday.org, featuring educational videos, education
materials, and public service announcements.

About Royal Philips Electronics

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands 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 http://www.philips.com/newscenter.

ots Originaltext: Philips
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Contact:
For further information, please contact: Steve Klink,
PhilipsCorporate Communications, Tel: +31-20-597-7415,
Email:steve.klink@philips.com; Joon Knapen, Philips Healthcare,
Tel:+1-978-659-1990, Email: joon.knapen@philips.com; Sarah Campbell,
PhilipsHealthcare Asia Pacific, Tel: +61(2)9947-0472,
Email:sarah.campbell@philips.com