ResMed released the results of its ResMed Asia and Latin America Sleep Health Survey, which looked at overall sleep habits and their impact on respondents’ well-being across the region. The ResMed-commissioned study, conducted online by AtomikResearch in India (5004), Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, and Mexico, discovered that the majority of the 17,040 respondents suffered from insufficient sleep or poor sleep quality, with only 21 percent waking up feeling refreshed in the morning.
In India, 81 percent agreed that poor sleeping habits can have a negative impact on one’s quality of life and that getting enough sleep is critical for maintaining one’s immunity; 53 percent attempted to get more sleep to address this. Those who struggled with sleep also reported mood swings (24 percent ), as well as difficulty concentrating during the day (21 percent).
“We conducted this survey to investigate the importance of a good night’s sleep and its impact on one’s wellbeing,” said Carlos Montiel, ResMed’s Vice President of Latin America and South Asia. “The findings show that people struggle to sleep at night and are interested in learning more about their sleep habits and sleep quality.”
People are seeking ways to improve sleep habits
- 72 percent of respondents surveyed said that insufficient sleep or poor quality of sleep had worsened their emotional state.
- People in India are willing to take action to improve their sleep health to prevent it from further affecting their quality of life, with as many as 81 percent saying bad sleeping habits can affect their quality of life.
- 34 percent were also aware that snoring was a sign of a poor night’s sleep, resulting in 51 percent of respondents using sleep trackers to keep records of sleep patterns and 35 percent expressing interest in keeping track of their health during sleep.
Despite these sleep challenges, only 21 percent of those polled sought help from a general practitioner or a healthcare specialist. Furthermore, 59 percent believe that snoring is a sign of a good night’s sleep, emphasising the importance of raising awareness about sleep health. Many people are also unaware that the symptoms they experience while sleeping could be indicators of a sleep disorder such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).
Mood changes such as irritability or depression, morning headaches, and excessive daytime sleepiness are the top three symptoms cited by both males and females surveyed in relation to their sleep. Despite this, 32 percent of those polled said they had never heard of OSA.
Over 80 percent of adults worldwide with sleep apnea are undiagnosed and unaware of their condition. Common signs and symptoms of OSA include excess weight, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
ResMed, a global provider of cloud-connected sleep apnea devices and masks, hopes to use market insights to continue improving access to therapy outcomes for individuals and entire patient populations.
