Apple Watch’s sleep apnea detection gets approved in Canada

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After FDA approval in the United States earlier this month, Apple has now received certification from Health Canada for the Apple Watch’s sleep apnea notifications feature.

It means Apple can now roll out the feature to all the supported Apple Watch models in Canada. The sleep apnea detection feature is available on the new Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Series 9, and Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Apple Watch sleep apnea detection gets approved 

According to a Health Canada document, the Apple Watch has now been approved to diagnose sleep apnea in Canada. While the Cupertino company has not announced when the function will be available in the country, it will likely be within the next few weeks.

For those unaware, Apple uses the breathing disturbances metric to detect small movements at the wrist while you sleep to find any interruptions to standard respiratory patterns.

Every 30 days, the Apple Watch will analyze the breathing disturbance data to find signs of sleep apnea. If discovered, the OS will notify the affected user and advise them to see a doctor. 

In simple words, the feature uses the Apple Watch’s accelerometer to track wrist motions while sleeping, and the Apple S9 or S10 chip analyzes the acquired data to identify breathing patterns linked to medical conditions. 

However, you shouldn’t solely rely on the Apple Watch to detect health issues. After all, it’s a smartwatch and not a primary medical device. There is always a chance that the watch may not detect any health issues.

Regular checkups are always recommended for any medical condition to avoid major issues. 

Apple has stated that sleep apnea notifications will be available in over 150 countries and regions this month. Since Apple has received the go-ahead signal from Health Canada, the feature will likely be available there first and then systematically rolled out to other regions.

Got any thoughts on Apple Watch’s sleep apnea feature? Would you buy a watch only for this feature? Let us know below in the comments, or head over to our Twitter or Facebook for more.