Apple is moving forward with providing health features on its watches that work to detect serious health problems early that you can address before it’s too late. In addition to the previous health features that detect heart problems, and in an exciting technical development, Apple has added a new feature that turns your watch into a personal guard that monitors your breathing while you sleep, and detects one of the most dangerous health problems that a person may suffer from without knowing it, which is sleep apnea. The feature has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and works on Apple watches 9, 10 and Ultra 2, transforming from a mere timekeeping and exercise tracking tool to an advanced medical device that can save your life while you sleep.

How can this new technology help you discover a serious health problem that may be hidden from you? Follow us as we reveal all the details…

From iPhoneIslam.com, Apple Watch and smartphone screens display a notification that a possible sleep apnea has been detected, and it is recommended to consult a doctor.


Sleep Apnea Detection System Requirements

From iPhoneIslam.com, the smartphone and Apple Watch display a notification about possible sleep apnea, advise consulting a doctor, and provide options to export data for further analysis.

Apple recently added a new and important feature to its smartwatches that allows it to detect sleep apnea. Although the announcement of the Apple Watch Series 10 with its larger screen was the focus of attention during the iPhone 16 launch event, the sleep apnea detection feature is one of the most important technical developments in smartwatches ever. To enable the feature, here's what you need:

◉ Sleep apnea detection is available since September 2024, and requires Apple Watch Series 9 and later and current Apple Watch Ultra 2 models with watchOS 11 or later.

◉ Also update your iPhone to the latest version of iOS.

◉ Sleep mode must be set up with Sleep Tracking turned on and your Apple Watch turned on.

◉ You must wear your Apple Watch while sleeping for at least 10 nights over 30 days. Your data will be analyzed every 30 days.

◉ The feature uses the accelerometer to detect apnea at night, and it also sends notifications when potential apnea is detected as watch notifications.

◉ The feature is intended for use by people 18 years of age or older who have not been diagnosed with sleep apnea.

This step by Apple in the field of detecting sleep apnea came somewhat late, as Samsung preceded it in this field by launching a similar feature in its smart watches, which reflects the ongoing competition between the two companies in developing health monitoring and medical monitoring technologies in their wearable devices.


Turn on sleep apnea notifications

◉ On your iPhone, open the Health app.

◉ Click on “Browse”, then click on “Respiratory”.

◉ Under Sleep Apnea Notifications, tap Set Up, then tap Next.

◉ Confirm your date of birth, and if you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, click “Continue.”

◉ Click “Next”, then click “Done”.

◉ To view sleep apnea or breathing disorders notifications, tap either Sleep Apnea Notifications or Breathing Disturbances under the “Respiratory” setting.

 From iPhoneIslam.com, the smartphone screen displays a graph of breathing disorders over a six-month period, with a trend of “not rising.” The text below provides information about breathing disorders, which can be monitored using the Apple Watch to track sleep apnea.

◉ You can view your breathing disorders over the past month, six months or year.


Things you should know according to Apple

◉The Sleep Apnea Notifications feature is not intended to diagnose, treat, or assist in the management of sleep apnea.

◉ Not all people with sleep apnea receive a notification.

◉ If you think you have sleep apnea, see your doctor.


One of the positive features of the sleep apnea detection feature is that it does not require the purchase of the new Apple Watch this year, as it works on the older Apple Watch Series 9. However, the question remains about how accurate and effective this feature is in diagnosis. From the personal experience of a patient suffering from sleep apnea and using a CPAP device for sleep apnea patients, it was necessary to conduct a sleep study and visit a pulmonologist to accurately determine the severity of the condition.

This feature is an excellent way to alert people who may not realize they have sleep apnea to go to a sleep doctor, which can happen to anyone for reasons including high blood pressure, for example.

The problem, however, is that this feature requires wearing an Apple Watch while sleeping, which many people do not prefer, especially since sleep apnea is not always a symptom that a person can notice themselves.

This is one of the most important health additions Apple has made in a long time, and its impact is expected to be as significant as the atrial fibrillation detection and high heart rate alerts, but this time it targets a completely different health problem than heart problems: sleep apnea. 

What do you think of the sleep apnea detection feature? Do you think it will be accurate and effective? Let us know in the comments.

Source:

cnet

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