The new Apple Watch will detect sleep apnea Why it is dangerous and how it works
With the introduction of the Apple Watch Series 10, the next generation of its smartwatch, Apple has added a new feature to monitor users’ health. This is an integration to detect sleep apnea, a disorder that affects billions of people around the world.
This tool comes as part of the new features, among which are also improvements in design and performance. Although this option will be ideal for those people who suffer from this condition or who are likely to suffer from it and with this data they have the possibility to go to the doctor to start treatment.
Sleep apnea is a condition in which breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep, potentially depriving the body of oxygen. This condition, which is often underdiagnosed, can have serious consequences if left untreated, including increased risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Globally, more than a billion people suffer from sleep apnea, but in many cases it is not diagnosed or treated in a timely manner.
With the Apple Watch Series 10, Apple aims to address this issue with a new feature that uses the device’s accelerometer to detect respiratory disorders associated with sleep apnea. The tool, called Respiratory Adjustments, monitors a user’s breathing patterns while they sleep and sends notifications when it detects signs of moderate or severe sleep apnea.
The sleep apnea detection feature on Apple Watch Series 10 relies on a passive monitoring system that analyzes the user’s wrist movements during sleep. These movements are used to identify pauses in breathing that may indicate an apnea episode.
Every 30 days, Apple Watch analyzes the collected data and notifies users if significant respiratory disturbances are observed, allowing them to share this data with their doctor for further evaluation.
This new tool is a significant advancement, making the device a more accessible tool for people who may not realize they have sleep apnea. The watch generates a detailed report that users can export as a PDF to share with healthcare professionals, making diagnosis and treatment easier.
Additionally, the sleep apnea feature on Apple Watch has been developed and validated through machine learning and large clinical studies. In fact, in the clinical validation study, all participants identified by the algorithm had at least mild sleep apnea, highlighting the accuracy of this tool and its potential for user well-being.