Samsung recently announced that a new medical feature on the Samsung Galaxy watches just got approval from the FDA.
Known as the sleep apnea feature, Samsung users can opt in to let their Galaxy watches “detect signs of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) over a two-night monitoring period.”
Is sleep apnea a serious condition?
According to Mayo Clinic, “Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts.” Three forms of sleep apnea exist, according to Mayo Clinic:
- Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA: “Throat muscles relax and block the flow of air into the lungs.”
- Central sleep apnea, or CSA: “The brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing.”
- Complex sleep apnea: Someone diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea undergoing treatment develops central sleep apnea.
Common symptoms include loud snoring, morning headaches, insomnia and others, per Mayo Clinic.
How can the sleep apnea feature help users?
According to Samsung, the sleep apnea feature is considered an “over-the-counter (OTC) software-only, mobile medical application” that can detect “signs of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in the form of significant breathing disruptions in adult users 22 years and older, over a two-night monitoring period.”
Those who do not treat sleep apnea are at risk of developing more serious health conditions, per Samsung.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says treatments include lifestyle changes, medical devices, surgery and therapy.
The sleep apnea feature can only be used on Samsung Galaxy watches and phones. You can buy the Samsung Galaxy watch series on Amazon, Best Buy, WalMart or on the Samsung store.