Apple Watch sleep apnea alert led Air Force veteran to a diagnosis

An Apple Watch alert about possible sleep apnea prompted U.S. Air Force veteran David Aladejobi to contact his doctor. He was diagnosed with the condition and referred for further care, Military.com reported.

Aladejobi initially dismissed the notification. After reflecting on his snoring and headaches, he sent his doctor a screenshot of the alert; the doctor suspected the headaches could be related to sleep.

Following the diagnosis, Aladejobi was referred to a sleep lab and prescribed a CPAP machine to help regulate his breathing overnight.

How the alert works

Apple Watch uses its accelerometer to detect breathing disturbances during sleep. It assesses those disturbances over 30 days and can notify users when it finds consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea.

Users must enable sleep tracking and wear a compatible watch to bed for at least 10 nights during that period. Notifications are intended for adults who have not already been diagnosed with sleep apnea.

An alert is not a diagnosis; it is a prompt to discuss possible symptoms with a doctor. The feature works with Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Series 9 or later, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later.