Sleep Blog

Respironics, Inc. has announced it’s entered into a merger agreement which will allow Royal Philips Electronics (Philips) to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Respironics for USD 66.00 in cash per share, or a total purchase price of approximately $5.1 billion. The offer price represents a premium of approximately 31 percent over Respironics’ average closing share price for a period of 30 trading days ending at market closing on December 20, 2007.

The Board of Directors of Respironics has unanimously approved the transaction and recommends that Respironics shareholders accept and tender their shares into the offer. The tender offer is expected to commence by January 8, 2008, and is subject to customary conditions, including the tender of at least a majority of the shares and the receipt of U.S. and European regulatory approvals. The offer is not subject to any financing contingency, and the transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2008.

Upon completion of this acquisition, Respironics will become the centerpiece of Home Healthcare Solutions, which will form part of Philips Healthcare as of January 1, 2008.

Respironics is an international leader in the products to treat of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep disorder characterized by the repeated cessation of breathing during sleep.

In the United States alone, it’s estimated there are between 18 and 20 million people who have moderate or severe sleep apnea, yet it’s estimated that less than 20 percent of those people have been diagnosed. Over the past decade, research has demonstrated links between sleep apnea and sexual dysfunction, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, among other issues, such increased risk of involvement in motor vehicle accidents, among other issues.

Respironics has a leading position in non-invasive ventilation and has recently introduced new home oxygen technologies to serve the needs of respiratory impaired patients in the home. The remainder of the company’s business is focused on the hospital channel, which includes non-invasive and invasive ventilation, respiratory monitoring, neonatal products, and respiratory drug delivery technologies for the treatment of respiratory diseases.

Upon completion of the merger, Respironics will become Philips Home Healthcare Solutions’ headquarters within Philips Healthcare. It’s expected that Respironics’ senior operating leadership will remain with the organization, continuing to lead and manage the business.

Over the years, Philips has made a number other home health related acquisitions, including Lifeline Systems, Health Watch and Raytel Cardiac Services. Combined, the business unit supports almost one million at-risk seniors, either in their own homes or in senior living facilities throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Respironics is a leading developer, manufacturer, marketing its products in 141 countries, and has employs more than 5,300 associates worldwide.

Royal Philips Electronics, based in the Netherlands, is a leader in healthcare, lighting and consumer lifestyle, delivering products, services and solutions through the brand promise of “sense and simplicity.” The company have more approximately 128,000 employees in more than 60 countries. In 2006, it took in €27 billion in sales.

In announcing the buyout, John L. Miclot, president and chief executive officer of Respironics, said, “The transaction will deliver superior and certain value to Respironics’ shareholders. The combination of Respironics and Philips will allow us to continue to provide exceptional products and services to our customers and allow Respironics to expand its leadership in the global sleep and respiratory markets.”

Continuing, Miclot said, “Philips is the right partner to create additional growth opportunities for our company, and we believe that our organization will benefit significantly by being part of a larger, growing and dynamic organization. We look forward to working with the Philips team to ensure an effective and seamless transition.”

“A core part of Philips’ healthcare strategy is to achieve a leading position in the high growth sector of home healthcare,” Steve Rusckowski, Philips Healthcare chief executive officer and member of the Philips Electronics Board of Management, said, “This acquisition, with its significant strategic and financial benefits to Philips Healthcare, is another important step in carrying out this strategy.”

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As we approach the new year, we also approach the season of new year’s resolutions. Even the firmest resolutions made at the beginning of the new year are difficult to keep.

As the year progresses, you may lack the physical energy and mental strength to maintain your commitment for the long-haul. One reason is that you may not be getting the amount of sleep you need to feel your best.

Making sleep your top priority in 2008 will help you achieve all of your other goals — you’ll have more energy, will be more focused and will feel happier and more optimistic.

Ron Kramer, MD, of Colorado Neurological Institute’s Sleep Disorders Center, located in Englewood, Colorado, says most people made, and maybe even kept, two of the most common resolutions: exercising more and losing weight.

Before making one of these same resolutions this New Year’s Eve, Kramer says that perhaps a simpler — and arguably more pleasant — resolution is all that is needed to encompass a three-for-one solution: Resolving to maintain enough sleep for you to optimize your own health.

"There is growing medical literature showing that many of us in today’s ‘24/7′ society are not getting the basic sleep we need every day," says Kramer.

"At the same time, there is increasing evidence from human sleep researchers that chronic lack of even a few hours of sleep a night can result in significant health consequences. These consequences include an increased risk of accidents, fatigue that makes you prone to depressive symptoms or not enough energy to exercise and even chemical changes that stimulate your brain to eat more and to eat more salty and sugary food," Kramer added.

In an effort to help people recognize that they’re not getting enough sleep at night, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) outlines seven signs that one may need more sleep:

1. You’re dependent on an alarm clock.
   If you’re getting enough sleep, then you should be able to wake up on time without a morning alarm. Hitting the snooze button a couple times before getting up is a clear sign of sleep loss.
2. You’re driving drowsy.
   Falling asleep at the wheel is a sure sign that you are too tired. It’s also dangerous. Drowsy driving is a common cause of deadly auto accidents.
3. You’re attached to the coffee pot.
   A cup of coffee to get your day started is no big deal. But you shouldn’t have to drink coffee all day long to stay awake.
4. You’re making mistakes.
   It’s harder to focus and concentrate when you’re tired. You’re easily distracted, and you’re less likely to detect and correct errors.
5. You’re forgetful.
   Sleep loss may explain why you have a hard time remembering things. Failing to get enough sleep hinders your short-term memory.
6. You’re struggling with depression.
   Being tired can have a negative effect on your moods. It makes you more likely to feel depressed, anxious and frustrated.
7. You’re getting sick.
   Without sleep, your immune system is not at full strength. It’s harder for your body to fight off an illness.

The good news, Kramer says, is that most of these changes are all reversible with the implementation of good sleep practices.

"Resolve to sleep well this year and you may find that the energy to exercise and the self-control for healthy eating may then more easily follow," Kramer adds.

On average, most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep each night to feel alert and well-rested. Adolescents should sleep about nine hours a night, school-aged children between 10-11 hours a night and children in pre-school between 11-13 hours a night.

The AASM offers the following tips on how to get a good night’s sleep:

• Follow a consistent bedtime routine.
• Establish a relaxing setting at bedtime.
• Get a full night’s sleep every night.
• Do not go to bed hungry, but don’t eat a big meal before bedtime either.
• Avoid alcohol, foods or drinks that contain caffeine, and any medicine that has a stimulant, prior to bedtime.
• Avoid any rigorous exercise within six hours of your bedtime.
• Make your bedroom quiet, dark and a little bit cool.
• Get up at the same time every morning.

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During the holiday season, it’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of hanging up decorations, shopping, wrapping presents, cooking and hosting parties. Because of the limited time to complete all of these activities, many people feel that they can buy themselves more time by spending less time in bed.

To make this an enjoyable season, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) encourages people to not allow all that hustle and bustle to put a damper on a good night’s sleep.

Alejandro D. Chediak, MD, AASM president, says that our sleep patterns can also be affected in other ways during this time of year. For instance, we stay up late visiting with family and friends that perhaps we haven’t seen in a long time.

Many people travel during the holidays, which disrupts their normal sleep schedule. Traveling in an airplane across multiple time zones can lead to jet lag, which can, in turn, cause daytime sleepiness.

The holiday season is known to bring on a lot of stress on people. One of the best ways to prevent the stress of the holidays from getting the best of you is to plan ahead, Chediak says.

"In order to best enjoy the holiday season, anticipate and budget the extra time needed to carry out your holiday ‘to-do’ list," says Chediak. "Getting an early start and doing a little bit each day will save time and relieve stress. Delaying your ‘to-do’ list until the last possible minute not only leads to sleep loss, it also makes one contend with heavier street traffic and bigger and more aggressive crowds in stores."

Recent studies show that sleep loss can affect one’s daytime functioning, increase the risk of diabetes, contribute to obesity, strain relationships and lead to depression. The easiest defensive measure one can take is to make sure you are getting a proper amount of nightly sleep, notes Chediak.

Chediak offers these suggestions for better sleep during the holiday season:

• Take time to relax.
  Even if you have a lot to do, allow yourself to stop at a certain point in the evening. Giving your brain time to wind down before bed will help you sleep better.
• Keep your sleep pattern on schedule.
  Maintain a regular bedtime and wake-up time. Other regular rituals, such as a warm bath, a light snack or a few minutes of reading, also may help.
• Plan ahead for holiday activities.
  Set aside time earlier in the day to wrap gifts, decorate the house, plan your holiday menu and similar tasks. To stay on track, write these "appointments" in your daily planner.
• If you’re driving and feel drowsy, it’s time for a break.
  If you become drowsy while driving, pull off to a rest area and take a short nap, preferably 15-20 minutes in length.
• Do not eat heavy meals right before bedtime.
  This might cause heartburn or discomfort, which can prevent you from falling asleep or greatly disturb your sleep.
• Love eggnog?
  Avoid too much alcoholic eggnog or coffee at evening holiday parties. Alcohol and caffeine can inhibit your normal sleep pattern.

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Hospital staff nurses who work extended hours, work at night, struggle to remain awake at work, or obtain less sleep are more likely to experience a drowsy driving episode.

The study, authored by Linda D. Scott, Ph.D, of Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Mich., focused on data that were collected from 895 full-time hospital staff nurses, who completed logbooks on a daily basis for four weeks providing information concerning work hours, sleep duration, drowsy and sleep episodes at work, and drowsy driving occurrences.

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