Apple is introducing sleep apnea detection to the Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and Apple Watch Series 9. Although sleep apnea involves interruptions in breathing, it doesn’t rely on the blood oxygen sensor for detection. Instead, Apple utilizes a different approach.
The new metric, Breathing Disturbances, leverages the built-in accelerometer to detect subtle wrist movements associated with disruptions in normal breathing patterns during sleep.
The Apple Watch gathers data over a period of 30 days and then analyzes it to identify consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea. Users will receive either Elevated or Not Elevated readings in the Breathing Disturbances section of the Health app. This information can be shared with a healthcare provider for further evaluation and guidance on diagnosing and treating sleep apnea.
While the 30-day data collection is necessary for detecting sleep apnea, users can view a summary of their nightly Breathing Disturbances in the Health app to gauge sleep quality. Factors such as alcohol consumption, medications, and sleep position can affect breathing patterns.
Sleep apnea involves temporary cessation of breathing during sleep, leading to reduced oxygen levels and frequent awakenings. It can be challenging to diagnose since it occurs during sleep, and it’s estimated that over 1 billion people worldwide are affected.
Apple's sleep apnea detection algorithm was developed using advanced machine learning and validated with clinical-grade sleep apnea tests. Participants identified by the algorithm all had at least mild sleep apnea.
Apple anticipates that the sleep apnea detection feature will receive marketing authorization from the FDA and other global health authorities soon, with availability set for this month in over 150 countries.
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