While not a replacement for a sleep study, the Apple Watch can now be used to detect symptoms of sleep apnea. The watch’s new Breathing Disturbances feature monitors respiratory patterns and informs users if their nighttime breathing indicates the possibility of sleep apnea. This feature received FDA approval in September 2024.
You can access the Breathing Disturbances function on the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2. Your device must be equipped with the latest iOS software, and you’ll need the proprietary “Sleep” app to view your personal data.
The Apple Watch uses motion sensors to analyze when a person is in light sleep, deep sleep, or awake. This wearable device can also monitor heart rate and blood oxygen levels during the night. As sleep apnea is characterized by periods of stopped or shallow breathing, the disorder directly affects both sleep quality and blood oxygen levels.
We’ll take a closer look at what sleep apnea is, how the Apple Watch works, and how it compares to at-home and lab-based sleep studies.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person frequently stops breathing or experiences periods of very shallow breathing during sleep.
In obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the upper airway becomes narrow or blocked, often because of relaxed muscles and tissues in the throat. With central sleep apnea, the brain fails to properly regulate signals for breathing. Both types of sleep apnea cause fragmented sleep and can contribute to other health problems.
Are Any Apple Watches FDA-Approved to Detect Sleep Apnea?
As of September 2024, the Apple Watch’s Sleep Disturbances feature is FDA-approved to detect sleep apnea. This makes the Apple Watch the second over-the-counter wearable tracker to receive FDA approval for sleep apnea detection. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch was the first to earn this distinction in February 2024.
The Breathing Disturbances feature is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2. In addition, the Apple Watch has 510(k) FDA clearance for notifications related to atrial fibrillation, a heart condition sometimes connected with sleep apnea.
While the Breathing Disturbances feature can be used to detect sleep apnea, Apple does not claim that the Apple Watch is meant to diagnose the condition. Those who receive notifications from their watch about possible sleep apnea symptoms should meet with their doctor to discuss a formal diagnosis.
Is the Sleep Data Collected by an Apple Watch Meant for Medical Use?
Apple’s respiratory rate and blood oxygen measurements are not meant for medical use. Because it is used without medical supervision and doesn’t directly measure airflow or brain waves, the Apple Watch is less accurate than a full sleep study.
How Can an Apple Watch Detect Sleep Apnea?
The Apple Watch Series 10 — Apple’s latest version of the model — comes equipped with the Breathing Disturbances function. This feature uses a built-in accelerometer, which monitors vibrations and movements in your wrist to pinpoint your breathing rate. You can also download the Breathing Disturbances feature for the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, as these devices also have accelerometers.
The watch classifies breathing as either “normal” or “elevated.” If elevated breathing is detected during the night, you’ll receive a notification the following morning. The watch compiles the data over time and sends you a monthly sleep report every 30 days. This aggregate data can help you determine if elevated breathing is an isolated incident or a night-to-night pattern.
For accurate results, you need to wear the Apple Watch to bed at least 10 nights during the 30-night period. Those who receive sleep apnea notifications from the watch should consult with their doctor about a sleep apnea diagnosis, which may involve an overnight sleep study or at-home sleep apnea test.
How Does an Apple Watch Track Your Sleep?
The Apple Watch measures sleep using three principal sensors: a heart rate sensor, a sensor to measure blood oxygen levels, and an accelerometer that tracks motion to understand breathing and body movements. Based on these measurements, an algorithm calculates your respiratory rate, total sleep time, and how long you spend in each sleep stage.
- Awake: The Apple Watch sensors are designed to track the amount of time you spend in each sleep stage, as well as awakenings during the night. While it’s normal to spend brief intervals awake at night, multiple awakenings may be a sign of a disorder such as sleep apnea.
- Core: Confusingly, Apple refers to stage 1 and stage 2 sleep as “core sleep,” a term sometimes associated with deeper sleep during the first three sleep cycles of the night. Apple uses this term to describe the lighter sleep stages you enter when you first fall asleep, marked by a gradual slowdown in heart rate, breathing, brain activity, and body movements.
- Deep: Stage 3 sleep, known as deep sleep or slow-wave sleep, is when your brain and body do most of their repair work. During deep sleep your brain waves, breathing, and heart rate are at their slowest.
- REM: Typically associated with dreaming, rapid eye movement sleep is important for creativity and memory processing. REM sleep is characterized by faster brain activity and heart rate. Most muscles are paralyzed to stop you from carrying out movements from your dreams.
People usually cycle through light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep, completing several full cycles during the night. Sleep apnea can alter the sleep cycle by causing more frequent changes between stages.
How Does an Apple Watch Measure Respiration and Blood Oxygen Level?
Motion sensors in the Apple Watch regulate the Breathing Disturbances feature, which calculates your number of breaths per minute, or respiratory rate, based on your movements. Newer Apple Watch models also have a blood oxygen monitor, which uses pulse oximetry to estimate the percentage of oxygen present in the bloodstream.
The Apple Watch only takes occasional measurements of blood oxygen levels throughout the night, and only when your arm is in the correct position. However, frequent dips in blood oxygen levels or low respiration rates could be a sign of sleep apnea.
Apple Watch users will be notified if they show consistent signs of sleep apnea so that they can consult with their doctor. They can also view their Breathing Disturbances data in the Sleep app on their iPhone or other iOS device.
What Should I Do if My Apple Watch’s Data Suggests I Could Have Sleep Apnea?
If you suspect you have sleep apnea based on notifications from your Apple Watch, talk to your doctor. They can evaluate your symptoms and refer you to a sleep clinic for further testing if needed.
Wearable devices are not always accurate at detecting health conditions. If you believe you have sleep apnea but your Apple Watch hasn’t flagged any symptoms, you should still seek the opinion of a healthcare professional.
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How to Get Tested for Sleep Apnea
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A more traditional option for diagnosing sleep apnea is in-lab polysomnography. This comprehensive sleep study measures brain waves, sleep stages, respiration, oxygen saturation, and other metrics. In addition to obstructive sleep apnea, polysomnography can provide data to accurately diagnose other sleep disorders.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Signs of sleep apnea that may appear on Apple Watch data include a fluctuating respiratory rate, occasional drops in blood oxygen levels, frequent changes to sleep stages, and a higher proportion of light sleep or awake periods.
An Apple Watch is not intended to be used as a medical device, and you shouldn’t rely on this device to monitor your sleep apnea treatment.
The sleep data provided by an Apple Watch may offer useful insights into how your sleep evolves over time. However, the best way to analyze your sleep apnea treatment is by paying attention to your symptoms and meeting regularly with your doctor.
There are many apps designed to detect obstructive sleep apnea, though they vary in quality and reliability. While some apps are fairly accurate, they should not be used in place of professional healthcare.
Some apps can be paired with the Apple Watch. For example, the Cardiogram app uses heart rate data from the Apple Watch to detect breathing anomalies. If the app detects signs of sleep apnea, it refers the user for further testing with a healthcare professional. To access data from the Breathing Disturbances feature, you’ll need to download and use Apple’s “Sleep” app.
A few apps have 510(k) clearance from the FDA for pre-screening adults with suspected moderate to severe OSA, under prescription from a doctor. Examples include Drowzle and SleepCheckRx, which record and analyze breathing and snoring sounds.
About The Author
Staff Writer, Product Testing Team
Garen is a health and lifestyle content creator. She realized the importance of sleep when her children made getting a good night’s rest more challenging. Garen is always learning something new about the wide world of sleep and sleep products. Married with two girls, ages 7 and 11, she is a book nerd and a lover of pop music, travel, and the Pacific Northwest.
- POSITION: Side Sleeper
- TEMPERATURE: Neutral Sleeper
- CHRONOTYPE: Wolf
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