Sleep is one of the most important building blocks of a child’s health and development. Yet for some, even bedtime can pose hidden risks.

In the Philippines, 5 in every 50 children experience a form of sleep apnea, a condition that disrupts breathing and causes kids to wake up, snore, or sleep with their mouth open. Symptoms such as low energy or unusual hyperactivity are often observed, but they are rarely recognized as signs of a sleep disorder, leaving many children undiagnosed.

The experience of couple Jacky Ang and Perkin Chai began the same way many parents encounter this condition: with small signs that seemed easy to overlook. One night, they noticed their kids sleeping with their mouths open, and what looked like tiredness turned out to be part of a bigger issue, a diagnosis that would introduce them to a condition they knew little about.

As they went through the required tests and follow-ups, they saw firsthand what the process involved — from securing schedules to overnight studies in unfamiliar hospital settings that can feel intimidating for children. It wasn’t an easy stretch for them, and it helped them appreciate what the experience is like for families going through it for the first time.

Wanting to understand it better, they began researching sleep apnea and the options available to families. “We wanted to know what we could do to give our kids the best chance for better sleep,” Ang shared.

That became the starting point for what would later become Hele.

Hele is a sleep clinic that offers world-class diagnostic testing, with a vision rooted in comfort. For the couple, they want Hele to represent and provide attentive care, just like how family members care for each other.

“We wanted to build a clinic where patients and their families can feel safe, relaxed, and cared for, in a more private, stress-free space even while undergoing a test,” said Ang.

At its core, Hele is built to give clients another option that can fit their needs and lifestyle. It reimagines sleep testing by combining hospital-level service with five-star comfort.

This includes a private room at Makati Diamond Hotel, designed to accommodate both patients and family caregivers comfortably, along with hotel-level facilities and security, and flexible scheduling. Like a regular hotel stay, patients can check in at their convenience and are free to roam nearby areas or freshen up before their test.

All these added comforts are part of the basic testing package and come at no extra cost.

Each test is monitored by sleep-trained technicians and the results are interpreted by a partner sleep doctor. These add up to the promise of world-class care the brand wants to bring.

Pediatric sleep apnea often goes unnoticed because its symptoms can seem like regular kid behavior.

“We felt that if this was a surprise to us, how many more people are in the same boat? It made us realize na posibleng maraming unaware sa realities and threats of sleep apnea, especially to kids,” said Chai.

For Jacky and Perkin, Hele is the kind of place they wished existed when they were going through the process. It’s their way of helping families find a clearer, smoother path to understanding sleep issues — and the beginning of a mission to make sleep care easier to navigate. It delivers the same standard of testing offered in hospitals, but in an environment that feels far more reassuring for families.

If you know a loved one who constantly snores, wakes up in the middle of the night, or sleeps with their mouth open, it might be time to consult your doctor.

For more information about Hele and how to book a sleep test, visit: facebook.com/sleepbyhele and www.sleepbyhele.com.