Sleep Apnoea Alerts Rolling Out Now In Australia
On 16 July 2025, Apple released a major health update to Apple Watch, enabling sleep apnoea notifications in Australia and over 150 countries worldwide. The update introduces a new metric, Breathing Disturbances, which uses subtle wrist movement data to detect irregular respiratory patterns during sleep. It represents a significant step forward in personal health monitoring and early detection of one of Australia’s most under-diagnosed medical conditions.
A Silent Health Risk For Over A Million Australians
Sleep apnoea is a potentially serious disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. It often goes unnoticed, with many sufferers attributing symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, and poor concentration to general lifestyle issues. According to current estimates, more than one million Australians may be affected by moderate to severe sleep apnoea, with a significant majority remaining undiagnosed and untreated.
Left unaddressed, sleep apnoea is linked to cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, stroke risk, and daytime cognitive decline. Apple’s update aims to shift detection closer to the user, removing common barriers to diagnosis.
How Apple Watch Detects Breathing Disturbances
With this release, Apple Watch now tracks wrist micromovements associated with sleep interruptions. These are compiled into a new metric called Breathing Disturbances, viewable in the Health app on iPhone and iPad. Users can monitor trends across one-month, six-month, and one-year intervals, with each night’s data classified as elevated or not elevated.
The system does not deliver a diagnosis but flags patterns that suggest consistent respiratory disruption over time. These patterns, when recurring nightly, may indicate moderate to severe sleep apnoea.
Intelligent Notification System
Every 30 days, Apple Watch analyses nightly breathing disturbance data. If consistent signs of potential sleep apnoea are detected, the user is notified and encouraged to consult a doctor. The alert includes:
• The estimated time period when patterns were observed
• Educational material on sleep apnoea and its risks
• A PDF summary containing three months of relevant data for clinical review
This output is designed for both the user and their healthcare provider, enabling streamlined conversations around diagnosis and treatment options.
Validated By Clinical Study
The sleep apnoea notification algorithm was developed using advanced machine learning and a dataset of clinical-grade polysomnography sleep studies. The subsequent validation study—one of the largest ever for a wearable sleep technology—confirmed that every person flagged by the algorithm exhibited at least mild sleep apnoea, demonstrating strong correlation between Apple Watch signals and medical-grade data.
Expert Support From Sleep Professionals
Dr Moira Junge, CEO of the Sleep Health Foundation, welcomed the update:
“Obstructive sleep apnoea is a common and serious sleep disorder, potentially impacting a million Australians. As it often goes undiagnosed, awareness and early detection of sleep apnoea are a welcome and significant step toward healthier sleep and improved lives.”
Dr Junge also stressed that sleep is a core pillar of overall wellbeing, alongside nutrition and exercise. Enhancing access to early detection tools could improve health outcomes across the population.
Not A Diagnostic Tool
The feature is not intended to screen, diagnose, or treat sleep apnoea. It is a pre-diagnostic indicator designed to raise awareness and encourage medical follow-up. All decisions regarding diagnosis and treatment must be made in consultation with a qualified healthcare professional.
Data Control & Privacy
As with all Apple Health features, the new functionality adheres to Apple’s strict privacy principles. Health data remains encrypted on the device and in iCloud when stored or synced, and users retain full control over sharing information with healthcare providers.
The Breathing Disturbance metric does not stream or record raw audio or respiration. It relies entirely on accelerometer-based micromovements, limiting invasiveness while providing useful insights.
Availability & Device Requirements
The feature is available immediately in Australia on:
- Apple Watch Series 9
- Apple Watch Series 10
- Apple Watch Ultra 2
It supports users aged 18 years and older who do not already have a sleep apnoea diagnosis. Apple notes that even without receiving a notification, individuals may still have undiagnosed sleep apnoea and should consult a medical practitioner if symptoms persist.
A full list of supported countries and regions is available at apple.com/au/watchos/feature-availability.
