World Sleep Day Hungary 12-03-2013, Budapest

Sleep Existence – at home, at work, in your free time and in transportation

In developed countries more than thirty percent of the population may be affected by various sleep disorders. This result was confirmed at the press conference which was held on the 12th of March in Budapest.

In Hungary it was the fifth annual World Sleep Day event which was organized by the World Sleep Day Hungray Program Office and with the collaboration by the Hungarian partner of World Association of Sleep Medicine, Benyovszky Medical Center and the famous medical website the napidoktor.hu. The sleep symposium emphasized the quality of sleep which has a very important role in our everyday condition, in our working method and that poor sleep can be the reason of several diseases.

The most important task next to healing is prevention. The attention of population should be drawn to the dangers of stress, excessive workload and unhealthy lifestyle which may not only cause shortened age but also numerous illnesses and tragic traffic accidents.

Dr. Zsolt Halmosi brigadier, National Deputy Chief of Police in his presentation urged: avoiding driving in a tired mood shall be the part of the national transportation safety issues, based on European practices. The Szinapszis Public Opinion Researcher together with napidoktor.hu interviewed more than 1000 people and the result of their new research is very interesting: about a third of the drivers has already felt the urge to falling asleep while driving and this is particularly true in the case of people working in a senior position. Tiredness or urge to sleep occurring during driving is a very serious risk factor for road users: after the improperly or drunk drivers we fear the truck drivers the most. Sleep and working capacity should be dealt with more attention and in a more connected way in Hungary.

Among professional drivers and workers who need to concentrate during working continous screening of sleep quality would be desirable.  Some domestic companies, such as the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, particular job profiles at MOL, over and above among the transport companies Klacska Group have begun sleep screening which is very exemplary. The results will be used in the developing of healthy working conditions.

The result of the national sleep survey which started three years ago but it is planned to be continued for more years confirmed that more and more people suffer from some form of sleep disorder, can have actual sleep disease however many of them are not aware of this fact.

44% of the surveyed 1 000 people have persisted sleep problems but the remaining people who don’t know that they may have some sort sleep disorder are not asymptomatic.

Despite of the fact that 92% are looking for a solution to their problems, 79% have never consulted a sleep specialist. It is very strange since sleep healing (diagnostis and therapy) in Hungary is very high-level. The small number, but internationally known specialists are now organizing themselves around sleep centers. Their activity even in an international comparison is exemplary. The majority of these centers are accredited sleep laboratory and meet the high quality requirements of the European Sleep Societies.

With the collaboration of sleep healers and specialist WSD Hungary has started different programs to aware the conditions of quality sleeping. This has been done through the announcement of International Sleep Friendly Hotel Program which has a rating system developed by national experts. The study of international and domestic hotels has begun in terms of how sleep friendly they are.  The qualification is a sign of trust and reliability and it is also a message to the guests, whether the selected, qualified accommodation unit meets or exceeds the quality conditions of sleep in the rooms.  The certification provides a guarantee that the supplier really fits all of the reasonable requirements of the category considering the requirements of the guests and the profession.

In 2013 the following hotels won the certification: Waldorf Astoria – New York, Ritz Hotel – London, Hotel Saint Alexis – Réunion.  In Hungary they are still examining those accommodation units which are logged in the program. The results of the international program were explained by director, dr. Robert Richard Kiss.

At the conference a new device was presented. The examining method of this device is based on an innovative instrumentation diagnostic method and it presents how the events in our everyday life affect our quality of sleep. The Fusion Vital assess the impact of intraday movements, work and variety of evening activities on sleeping, and it determines the sleeping profile of the using person.

Performers of WSD Hungary 2013:

–          Dr. Zsolt Halmosi brigadier, National Deputy Chief of Police

–          Dr. Zoltán Szakács secretary general, Hungarian Sleep Association

–          Dr. Zsuzsanna Vida, sleep neurologist, Benyovszky Medical Center

–          Katalin Kiss Director of Research, Szinapszis

–          Dr. Zsolt Félegyházy psychiatrist, Karolinska University, Stockholm

–          Dr. András Váradi cardiologist, Benyovszky Medical Center

–          Dr. Edit Sándor director, Pharma Nord

–          Gergely Vada CEO, Fusion Vital

–          Dr. Robert Richard Kiss international director, Sleepfriendly Hotel Program

–          György G. Németh, National Sleep Screening and Sleep Healing Program

Professional Partners:

–          World Association of Sleep Medicine

–          World Sleep Day Organization

–          World Sleep Day Hungary Program Office

Professional Supporters:

–          Sleep Diagnosis and Sleep Therapy Center of Budapest

–          Benyovszky Medical Center

–          Pharma Nord

–          Billerbeck

–          Fusion Vital

Media sponsors and information:

György G. Németh

director

World Sleep Day Hungary

World Sleep Day Hungary Program Office

Partner of World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM)

Benyovszky Medical Center

Sleep Diagnosis and Sleep Therapy Laboratory of Budapest