Apple explains how the Apple Watch's new sleep apnea detection works › Macerkopf

Apple has released details about the Apple Watch's sleep apnea detection. In a new support document, the company explains the principle and technology behind the function. Sleep apnea detection is intended to help users identify potential sleep-related breathing problems and thus improve their sleep quality and overall health awareness.

How sleep apnea detection works

The sleep apnea monitoring system uses the 3-axis gyroscope built into Apple Watch to detect breathing disorders during sleep. Contrary to what you might expect, the blood oxygen sensor is not involved in this process. Apple also provides a summary of clinical validation that provides insight into how the feature works.

According to the document, the Apple Watch tracks movement using three-axis acceleration signals. These signals capture both gross body movements and subtle movements associated with breathing. The main work is done by a sophisticated algorithm that analyzes this acceleration data to classify breathing disorders during sleep monitoring. To validate the algorithm, the company conducted a clinical study that showed that the feature was able to detect all participants who actually suffer from sleep apnea.

The feature includes two main components: a nightly measurement of breathing disturbances and a notification system. If elevated levels of breathing disturbances are detected over a 30-day period, the user receives an alert indicating possible signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea.

To use the feature, users must go through a short onboarding process and enable sleep tracking on their Apple Watch. Once enabled, data on breathing disorders can be viewed in the Health app on the iPhone. This information helps users understand their sleep patterns and identify factors that may affect their breathing during sleep.

It is important to note that the new feature is not intended for people who have already been diagnosed with sleep apnea. In addition, the breathing disturbance measurements are not comparable to the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) used in clinical settings.

The full document provides more information on how sleep data is collected, and Apple goes into detail about the clinical validation of the feature, relevant references, and more.

Do you already have an Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra 2? Then you can start collecting the necessary sleep data today with watchOS 11. Otherwise, the new Apple Watch Series 10, which also supports the new sleep apnea detection, will be launched on Friday.