New Delhi: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is on the rise globally and India is also seeing a surge in the sleep disorder. More than 104 million, working-age Indians suffer from OSA, of whom 47 million have moderate-to-severe OSA, making it a major public health problem in the country.
In sleep apnea, breathing momentarily stops during sleep, preventing the body from getting enough oxygen. The condition is estimated to impact more than 1 billion people worldwide, and in most cases, goes undiagnosed.
If left untreated, it can have important health consequences over time, including increased risk of blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and cardiac issues.
Now, ‘Breathing Disturbances’ is an innovative new Apple Watch metric that uses the accelerometer to detect small movements at the wrist associated with interruptions to normal respiratory patterns during sleep.
According to the tech giant, every 30 days, Apple Watch Series 10 will analyse breathing disturbance data and notify users if it shows consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnoea so they can speak to their doctor about next steps, including potential diagnosis and treatment. Users can view their nightly Breathing Disturbances in the Health app on iPhone, where they are classified as elevated or not elevated.
The ‘Breathing Disturbances’ tool can also be used to assess restfulness of sleep. It can be influenced by alcohol, medications, sleep position, and more.
Those wearing the device can view their nightly Breathing Disturbances in the Health app, where they are classified as elevated or not elevated, and can be viewed over a one-month, six-month, or one-year period.
As a next measure, users can send a PDF to their doctors that shows when sleep apnoea may have occurred, three months of breathing disturbance data, and additional information.