With each iteration of its Watch Series, Apple is diving deeper into healthcare. Its latest offering, the Watch Series 10, brings a rather unique feature that will be beneficial for most people. We are, of course, speaking of the Apple Watch Series 10’s Sleep Apnea detection feature.
Sleep apnea, a condition affecting over one billion people globally, poses significant health risks, including diminished cardiac function, a heightened likelihood of diabetes, and a generally reduced quality of life. The latest update to the Apple Watch aims to address this pressing issue with a notable upgrade in its ecosystem.
Sleep apnea is a common yet often undiagnosed disorder characterized by repeated interruptions in breathing or excessively shallow breaths during sleep. Two primary types are obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA).
OSA occurs when the airway is blocked due to obesity, sleeping on one’s back, a narrow airway, allergies, or enlarged tonsils. Conversely, CSA happens when the brain fails to control breathing effectively, potentially causing missed sleep cycles.
If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to severe complications, including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and heart issues. It also contributes to excessive daytime drowsiness, slowing reaction times, and increases the risk of accidents and falls.
Traditionally, diagnosing sleep apnea involves undergoing a sleep study, which requires spending a night in a clinic under professional observation. This process can be inconvenient and costly, often exceeding $1,000 and frequently not covered by insurance.
In response to these challenges, Apple has introduced a new feature called Breathing Disorders to the Apple Watch. This feature uses the watch’s accelerometer to detect subtle wrist movements that indicate interruptions in standard breathing patterns during sleep.
The Apple Watch analyses this data every 30 days and notifies users if it detects consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea. This allows individuals to consult with their healthcare provider and develop a treatment plan.
The algorithm behind this sleep apnea detection feature has been developed using advanced machine learning techniques and a comprehensive dataset of clinical-grade sleep apnea tests. This feature has been validated in a clinical study, confirming that the algorithm accurately identified participants with at least mild sleep apnea.
This sleep apnea detection capability will be available on the Apple Watch Series 10, Series 9, and Ultra 2 and will be rolled out in September across more than 150 countries. Researchers have been exploring the use of the Apple Watch for detecting sleep apnea for nearly a decade, and this latest upgrade represents a significant advancement in wearable health technology.
