Apple Watch: Detecting sleep apnea with new feature

The Apple Watch collected and analyzed data for 30 days. Users are notified when there are consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea. In the Health app, users will see “Elevated” or “Not Elevated” under the “Breathing Disorders” section. This data can then be shared with a doctor to discuss further steps to diagnose and treat sleep apnea.

Although data collection for sleep apnea detection requires 30 days, users can view their breathing disorders every night in the Health app to assess sleep quality. Alcohol, medications and sleeping positions can affect breathing and lead to disorders.

Sleep apnea is when breathing stops during sleep, preventing the body from getting enough oxygen and often causing the affected person to wake up. This disorder can be difficult to diagnose because it occurs during sleep, and it is estimated to affect over a billion people worldwide.

Apple says the sleep apnea notification algorithm was developed using advanced machine learning and an extensive database of clinical sleep apnea tests and validated in a clinical study. Every participant identified by the algorithm had at least mild sleep apnea.

Apple expects sleep apnea detection to be approved by the FDA and other global health authorities and to be available in more than 150 countries this month.