The Philippine
Society of Sleep Medicine (PSSM), the primary organization that aims to promote
sleep medicine healthcare in the Philippines, again led in the celebration of
World Sleep Day 2016.
The World Sleep
Day 2016 slogan is “Good Sleep is a Reachable Dream” and this year, Multiflex
RNC Philippines, Inc., makers of Uratex foam and mattress products, lent its
wholehearted support to the PSSM in its efforts to help promote good, healthful
and restful sleep.
During the
celebration of World Sleep Day 2016, the PSSM held its 10th annual
symposium entitled “Sleep Matters: Discovering the Importance of Sleep” recently
at the EMG Auditorium of the Lung Center of the Philippines. There were various
workshops and lectures on many sleep-related concerns for adults—and even in
children—that elicited interests from symposium guests.
The PSSM is just
one of the many organizations around the world that advocates the importance
and educates people about the value of good sleep, which many people lack or
perhaps do not pay attention to due to today’s fast-paced lifestyle and
blinding-speed technology. Various studies have already shown that lack of
restful sleep because of irregular work and lifestyle may lead to health
problems in the future. Or even having an incorrect mattress may harm the body
rather than provide the restful sleep it needs after a long and hard day at
work.
This is why the
PSSM reiterates the important elements of good sleep, which are “Duration” or
the sufficiency of sleep to become well rested and alert the following day;
“Continuity,” which means sleep time should be continuous and unbroken; and
“Depth,” that sleep should be deep enough to be restorative or invigorating.
Quality sleep, the PSSM said, is very crucial to one’s good health and quality
of life. It said that good quality and invigorating sleep is important for
people’s day-to-day functioning, even in children for their overall wellness
and development.
The PSSM also
cited the 10 Commandments of Sleep Hygiene, according to the World Association
of Sleep Medicine or WASM, such as having a fixed bedtime and waking up time,
no daytime sleeping in excess of 45 minutes, avoiding excessive alcohol intake
4 hours before bedtime or smoking, avoiding intake of caffeine such as those in
coffee, tea, most sodas, including chocolate 6 hours before bedtime; avoiding
heavy, spicy or sweets 4 hours before bedtime, but a light snack is acceptable,
exercising regularly but not before bedtime, using comfortable bedding, finding
comfortable temperature when sleeping inside a well-ventilated room, blocking
out distracting noise and less light as possible, and limiting the use of the
bed to just sleeping.
For its part,
Uratex supports the PSSM through its own advocacies in promoting good sleep in
the Philippines.
“Uratex has
always been humbly supporting efforts to promote good sleep, a much-needed
bodily activity that unfortunately many people do not pay attention to or
perhaps, do not know how to achieve it because of various reasons. Simply put,
it all boils down to adapting to a more healthy and less-stressed lifestyle, a
positive mindset toward life, and choosing the correct mattress depending on
the body’s shape and contours, and this is where Uratex can help,” explains
Dindo Medina, Corporate Sales Director of Multiflex RNC Philippines.
As the country’s
sleep specialist, Medina said Uratex will continue to help Filipinos achieve
helathy and superior sleep by continuously developing and bringing innovative
mattresses and other sleep solutions.
The PSSM is a
group composed of several specialists involved in the practice of sleep
medicine in the country and are highly trained to address sleep disorders among
Filipinos. Pulmonologists, Neurologists, Ear, Nose and Throat specialists,
Psychiatrists and Pediatricians are among those that comprise the group and
have expressed interest in the process and study of sleep.
Here in the
Philippines, the practice of sleep medicine is still relatively young compared
to other countries so it is no surprise that even other doctors do not know
that such practice exists here. But the practice is, indeed, growing, even in
Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) member countries. In fact, the
Philippines will serve as host of the 4th ASEAN Sleep Medicine
Congress in 2017 where it will share vital knowledge with other countries about
sleep. Together, this collaborative meeting will also help determine how the
different cultures of these countries can impact on their actions with regard
to sleep concerns.
For more
information about the value of good sleep to one’s health, visit the PSSM
website, thepssmi.org. To find out more about the Uratex mattress and other
sleep solutions, call the Uratex Consumer Hotline, 888-6800 or visit www.uratex.com.ph.
