How ResMed is putting the spotlight on sleep disorders in India

ResMed, a leader in digital health, respiratory care devices and connected sleep, recently rolled out its new campaign – #AwakenYourBest, which features musician, rapper and singer Baba Sehgal. The campaign seeks to create and spread awareness about sleep disorders requiring necessary attention as well as treatment. For the video campaign, a sleep anthem has been created by Baba Sehgal.

Approximately 5.4% of Indians in the 30-69 age group, standing at 28.8 million, suffer from moderate to severe sleep apnea, a sleep disorder where breathing stops and starts repeatedly. With only few sleep labs catering to a population of more than 1.3 billion, the sleep awareness levels continue to remain low in India. With this campaign, ResMed aims to eliminate and reduce the misconceptions surrounding sleep apnea, snoring and other sleep disorders by way of educating the consumers and doctors about the importance and health benefits of a good sleeping routine.

#AwakenYourBest conveys the message of sleep being the catalyst for a fresh and energetic day. In the video campaign, Baba Sehgal takes the audience through a journey of how a good night’s sleep can help one to experience a good family time the next day, raise productivity levels, reduce lethargy and tiredness, and help one to be more active throughout the day.

In conversation with Adgully, Seema Arora, Business Head - Consumer & Digital, South Asia, ResMed, speaks about #AwakenYourBest campaign, roping in Baba Sehgal for the campaign, creating awareness about sleep disorders among Indians, the communication strategy, and more.

What is the idea behind the campaign #AwakenYourBest?

Through #AwakenYourBest, we at ResMed are aiming to create awareness about sleep disorders that need requisite attention and treatment. In our society, people feel conscious about discussing many of their health issues, including issues like sleep apnea. This prevents them from openly talking about their health problems, hence there is less awareness also. Therefore, we want to create a conversation about sleep apnea and make people more conscious about using sleep therapy and devices to overcome the disorder. With #AwakenYourBest, we want to engage and encourage people to come out of their shells and talk about their sleep related issues. ResMed aims to be the trusted link between them and their sleep problems.

Post-Covid, people have become more conscious about their health, and we see an increased focus on good nutrition and exercising. For a holistic approach towards health, taking charge of one’s sleep is essential, as it is an integral part of a person’s wellbeing. Hence, through #AwakenYourBest, we also aim to discuss the importance of sleep in your daily routine. The “best” is already there in us, and we can “awaken” it by getting adequate sleep.

How did you decide to rope in Baba Sehgal for the campaign and how has he contributed to the same?

Baba Sehgal is a widely acclaimed rapper, singer and musician. His quirky style of rapping and catchy lyrics is sure to appeal to the masses, which will be a great contributory factor for creating wide scale awareness of sleep disorders. His strong fan base on social media will also help people to connect with him better. The hook line of the trendy sleep anthem for the video campaign – ‘Sleep apnea ki ab nahi challey, ResMed home sleep test Balle Balle’ – will aid in generating awareness and encourage people to maintain a good sleep cycle.

How rampant is sleep disorder among Indians and how much is reported?

According to the Lancet Respiratory Medicine 2019, an estimated 5.4% of all Indians ages 30-69 (28.8 million) have moderate to severe sleep apnea. The level of sleep awareness continues to remain low in a country like India, with only a handful of sleep labs for a population of over 1.3 billion. The low level of reporting begins with low levels of awareness in the first place. Even if it is diagnosed, there tends to be less conversation around it because of the stigmas attached to it. Hence, creating awareness about sleep related disorders like sleep apnea is the first step forward to sleeping better by taking the necessary treatments and eventually awakening the best in us.

What are the other campaigns by ResMed in the past and the traction received?

In October 2020, ResMed launched a campaign, called #WakeUpToGoodSleep, with the mission to generate awareness amongst Indians on the importance of good sleep hygiene and to educate the masses about relatively unknown sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, and available treatment options. We launched a 360-degree campaign, including video and other marketing rollouts.

What is the importance of creating awareness around sleep disorders and what is the current situation in India surrounding the same? What are the challenges and hurdles in creating awareness around sleep disorders?

In India, there is a limited conversation around sleep and its related disorders. One can generally check with their colleagues or friends if they know about it or even considered sleep to be an important and serious topic. There are many sleep-deprived Indians and they might not even know about it. According to a ResMed’s survey, 55% of Indians have trouble sleeping and most of them don’t get it checked or get a sleep test done. The biggest challenge is people don’t inform the doctors about the symptoms, making it difficult for physicians to prescribe sleep tests. There needs to be a collaborative push to talk about sleep as it could lead to serious health issues.