Apple Watch can detect signs of sleep apnea › Macerkopf

Apple used today's “It's Glowtime” keynote to unveil groundbreaking health features to help with conditions that affect billions of people. After talking about hearing health, we now move on to sleep health.

Apple Watch comes with new notifications about sleep apnea

It is well known that sleep is particularly important for health as it affects the general physical and mental well-being of humans. Sleep apnea is a common condition in which breathing stops temporarily during sleep, causing the body to not receive enough oxygen. It is said that more than a billion people are affected by sleep apnea. If left untreated, it can have significant health consequences, such as an increased risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and heart problems.

Breathing Disorders is an innovative new metric on Apple Watch that uses the accelerometer to detect small wrist movements associated with disruptions to normal breathing patterns. Apple Watch analyzed breathing disorders data every 30 days and notified you when it detected consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea, so you could talk to your doctor about next steps, such as diagnosis and treatment.

According to Apple, sleep apnea notifications are expected to receive market approval from the FDA and other health authorities around the world soon. The feature is expected to be available in over 150 countries and regions, including the US, EU and Japan, later this month. The feature is supported on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.