Apple has announced that the sleep apnea detection feature on the Apple Watch is now available for users in Brazil, following approval from the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency.
Now accessible in over 150 countries and regions, this feature utilizes the Apple Watch’s accelerometer to monitor wrist movements that may indicate breathing interruptions during sleep.
Sleep apnea is a serious health condition characterized by repeated pauses in breathing, shallow breathing, or airway collapse during sleep, leading to poor ventilation and sleep disturbance. These breathing pauses can last from seconds to minutes and may occur multiple times a night, often accompanied by choking or snorting sounds. Symptoms include daytime sleepiness, snoring, and unrefreshing sleep despite sufficient sleep duration. Other signs might include a frustrated partner, which is how I discovered my own sleep apnea. Thankfully, treatments like CPAP machines are available to help keep airways open with a gentle stream of humidified air.
How the Apple Watch Detects Sleep Apnea
The Apple Watch’s sleep apnea detection feature introduces a new Breathing Disturbances metric. It uses the accelerometer to track subtle wrist movements tied to breathing interruptions during sleep. Every 30 days, the Apple Watch evaluates breathing disturbance data and alerts users if it detects consistent patterns of moderate to severe sleep apnea, prompting them to consult a doctor for further evaluation and possible treatment.
Breathing Disturbances can influence sleep quality and may be affected by factors such as alcohol, medications, and sleep position. Users can review their nightly Breathing Disturbances in the Health app, where they are categorized as elevated or not elevated, with data available for review over periods of one month, six months, or one year.
The Health app also allows users to export a PDF detailing potential sleep apnea occurrences, three months of breathing disturbance data, and more. This facilitates easy sharing with healthcare providers. Additionally, the Health app offers educational content to further explain sleep apnea.
Apple developed the sleep apnea notification algorithm using advanced machine learning and a comprehensive dataset of clinical-grade sleep apnea tests. The feature was validated through a clinical study, which confirmed that all participants identified by the algorithm had at least mild sleep apnea.
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