Apple Watches offer far more than just telling time or resting on your wrist. The tech giant has consistently pushed the envelope by integrating innovative health-centric features into its devices. This year, Apple has introduced a notable advancement with the addition of sleep apnea detection, a feature set to be available with the release of watchOS 11.
The company has now secured Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approval for this new sleep apnea detection capability. This feature represents a significant step forward in wearable health technology. Using advanced sensors and algorithms, the Apple Watch will provide users with valuable insights into their sleep patterns, helping to identify potential issues related to sleep apnea and offering a proactive approach to managing their health.
For the unawares, sleep apnea is a serious condition where breathing is briefly interrupted during sleep, potentially leading to various health issues if left untreated like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and heart issues.
Apple Watch uses its built-in accelerometer to identify movements that may indicate sleep disturbances. Apple’s new “Breathing Disturbances” metric monitors these movements to detect potential sleep apnea, providing users with insights into their sleep quality. Every 30 days, the watch checks for signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea and alerts users if needed, so they can consult their doctor for further diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, users can export detailed reports and access educational articles to better understand sleep apnea.
Apple informs that their sleep apnea detection feature has been created using sophisticated machine learning techniques and a large collection of clinical data. It validated this feature through an unusually large clinical study for sleep apnea technology. In this study, everyone flagged by the algorithm was found to have at least mild sleep apnea.
The sleep apnea detection feature is now available on the following Apple Watches with the release of watchOS 11- Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.
