Huge news, Galaxy Watch fans! Samsung just locked down official FDA clearance in the US for its watches to monitor symptoms of sleep apnea. The feature lands in Samsung Health this summer.
While the announcement didn’t specify models, Samsung previously confirmed the Watch5 and Watch6 lineups will support apnea detection in other regions. So seems likely those at minimum get it in the US pending more details.
Here’s how it works: the watch tracks your sleep over two nights for 4+ hours each within a 10-day period. If you meet the conditions, Samsung’s algorithms can spot signs of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. Note you do need to be over 22 years old to use the tracking.
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For those unfamiliar, sleep apnea causes abnormal breathing pauses that prevent restful sleep and reduce oxygen levels. This can increase risks for serious conditions like heart disease and stroke if left undiagnosed and untreated. Shockingly, the National Sleep Foundation estimates 1 in 4 men and 1 in 10 women in the US suffer from sleep apnea!
So Samsung providing an unobtrusive way to identify symptoms right from your wrist could genuinely help save lives by prompting earlier medical care. Other wearables detect apnea too, but scoring FDA approval brings meaningful credibility.
We’ll eagerly await full details on the rollout this summer! But seems owning a recent Galaxy Watch will soon provide some peace of mind against this widespread sleeping disorder. Kudos to Samsung for leveraging their leading wearable tech for important health insights like this!