Apple has announced that its Apple Watch 10 will have a new feature to detect and track sleep apnea events, if the FDA approves it. This feature uses a sophisticated machine learning algorithm trained on clinical-grade sleep apnea tests. The watch will keep an eye on wrist movements during sleep to spot breathing problems giving users a new metric called “Breathing Disturbances.” Every 30 days, the watch will look at this data and let the wearer know if there are signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea, which they can then tell their doctor about. Users can also export the data as a PDF for their doctor to check out.
Sleep apnea affects 39 million adults in the U.S. It causes breathing to stop and start during sleep. This can lead to symptoms such as loud snoring, gasping for air, and feeling very sleepy during the day. If left untreated, sleep apnea can make people more likely to develop high blood pressure, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Doctors think this feature can help spot and treat sleep apnea . It could make it easier for people to notice they have this condition and get medical help. But they warn that data from the watch shouldn’t take the place of a doctor’s diagnosis and treatment.
Apple plans to roll out the Apple Watch 10 in more than 150 countries, including the U.S., Japan, and the European Union. This new feature has an impact on boosting awareness and helping people manage sleep disorders, which might lead more individuals to get treatment.