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Apple’s new sleep apnea detection feature has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), making the feature available with watchOS 11.
With today’s release of watchOS 11, Apple Watch Series 9, and Watch Ultra 2, owners can now use the sleep apnea feature. It’s also coming to the Series 10, which is currently available for pre-order and will go on sale September 20th.
As the name suggests, the sleep apnea detection feature helps identify sleep apnea, a serious condition where individuals periodically stop and restart breathing during sleep. According to Apple, the feature uses the Apple Watch’s accelerometer to monitor small movements at the wrist, which occur when there is a disturbance in the respiratory pattern, indicating the body is not receiving oxygen. If these disturbances happen multiple times during sleep, it may suggest that the user is experiencing sleep apnea.
Users can review their breathing disturbances in the Health app on their iPhones, and they can even download the data to share with their doctor.
However, Apple Watch’s detection of sleep apnea is just a preliminary step. Once the Apple Watch flags a potential issue, users should consult a doctor for further tests to confirm whether they have sleep apnea and receive appropriate treatment.
