Article · 2 min read
Can Wearable Devices Detect Sleep Apnea?
Smartwatches and fitness trackers say they track sleep. But can they find sleep apnea? A sleep doctor explains what they can and can't do.
General information, not medical advice. Read our disclaimer.
TESTING · WEARABLES
Wearables and sleep apnea at a glance
- Smartwatches and trackers can give clues about sleep apnea.
- They cannot diagnose sleep apnea.
- Accuracy differs a lot from one device to the next.
- Low oxygen readings are a reason to see a doctor.
- A medical sleep study is still the best test.
Wearables can give clues about sleep apnea, but they can't diagnose it. Smartwatches and fitness trackers have gotten much better at tracking sleep. But they can't take the place of a real sleep study.
What can wearables measure?
- Heart rate — Heart rate patterns during sleep.
- Blood oxygen — Blood oxygen levels (SpO2).
- Movement — Moving around and tossing and turning.
- Sleep time — How long you sleep, and a guess at your sleep stages.
What can't wearables do?
- Key signals — They can't measure airflow, how hard you work to breathe, or brain waves.
- AHI — They can't work out your AHI (how many times per hour your breathing stops or gets shallow).
- Diagnosis — They can't diagnose sleep apnea.
- Accuracy — How accurate they are differs a lot from one device to the next.
- FDA approval — They are not FDA-approved to diagnose sleep apnea.
A medical sleep study is still the gold standard (best test) for diagnosis.
When does wearable data help?
Wearables can spot patterns. Your wearable may often show oxygen dips or poor sleep at night. If so, share this data with your doctor.
Low oxygen readings on a wearable are a reason to see a doctor. They can help make the case for a formal sleep study.
TESTING · NEXT STEPS
When your wearable data helps
You wear a sleep tracker
Question: Does it often show oxygen dips?
If noIt still cannot rule out apnea
Share this data with your doctor
Get a formal sleep study
TESTING · WEARABLES
What wearables can and cannot do
| Can a wearable do it? | |
|---|---|
| Track heart rate patterns | Yes |
| Track blood oxygen (SpO2) | Yes |
| Track movement and tossing | Yes |
| Track sleep time and stages | Sleep time yes; stages are a guess |
| Measure airflow, breathing effort, brain waves | No |
| Work out your AHI (breathing pauses per hour) | No |
| Diagnose sleep apneaDeciding factor | No, not FDA-approved for that |
Watch and learn
Common questions
Can my Apple Watch diagnose sleep apnea?
Trusted medical sources
This page follows guidance and research from leading medical organizations.
Further reading
- AASMObstructive Sleep Apnea
- NHLBISleep Apnea Information
- Mayo ClinicOSA Overview
- NIHSleep Apnea
- AASMObstructive Sleep Apnea
- NHLBISleep Apnea Treatment