The FDA has cleared Apple’s new sleep apnoea detection feature, which analyses a metric called “breathing disturbances” via an accelerometer measuring wrist movements indicating normal breathing pattern disruptions.
Users can view their nightly metrics in the Health app, where they’ll be classified as either “elevated” or “not elevated” i.e, normal. Apple will analyse this breathing disturbance data once a month and notify people if they show “consistent signs” of severe or moderate sleep apnoea”.
Users can view their data over a one-month, six-month or one-year period, said the company.
Sleep apnoea affects more than 30m people in the US, but only around 6m are diagnosed, according to the American Medical Association. If it goes untreated, the condition can cause fatigue and lead to more serious health issues like heart problems, hypertension and Type 2 diabetes.
Dr David Kuhlmann, who has treated sleep disorders for nearly two decades and serves on the board of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, told CNBC that the feature could be especially helpful for patients who sleep alone.
He added that many of them would probably be surprised to find out they were showing signs of sleep apnoea.
However, he said users should approach the data with some caution, as readings could be erroneous, and that patients should follow up with their healthcare providers to get an official diagnosis.
He added that ideally, if patients catch sleep apnoea earlier, they can avoid paying for treatments for more serious conditions down the line.
“By finding out that they have these underlying sleep disorders and getting them treated, it could potentially actually help save money and improve quality of life.”
Apple can also generate a report that users can take to their doctors to discuss next steps. The report includes three months’ worth of breathing disturbance data as well as some additional information, the company said.
Apple said that the notification algorithm was developed with “an extensive data set of clinical-grade sleep apnoea tests,” and that the feature was validated in a clinical study.
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