Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that iOS 18.2 beta enabled sleep apnea monitoring. The article has been replaced to reflect the feature is officially approved for all Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2, and Series 10 users in Canada.
Apple announced in September that sleep apnea detection was coming to the Apple Watch, and the feature is now available in many countries around the world. As of today, Canada is joining the list where sleep apnea notifications are available to Apple Watch users.
Apple enables Apple Watch sleep apnea detection in Canada
Apple launched sleep apnea notifications in more than 150 countries, and Canada now joins that list. Health-related features must be approved by regulators from each country. After Health Canada gave Apple permission to enable the new feature in the country in September, the company has now launched the feature to users there.
Sleep apnea detection was introduced with watchOS 11 for Apple Watch Series 9 and later. The feature uses the Apple Watch accelerometer to detect potential breathing disturbances during sleep. Here’s how Apple describes it:
Sleep is an important area of health as it impacts a person’s overall physical and mental wellbeing. Sleep apnea is a prevalent disorder in which breathing momentarily stops during sleep, preventing the body from getting enough oxygen. The condition is estimated to impact more than 1 billion people worldwide, and in most cases, goes undiagnosed. If left untreated, it can have important health consequences over time, including increased risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cardiac issues.
Breathing Disturbances is an innovative new Apple Watch metric that uses the accelerometer to detect small movements at the wrist associated with interruptions to normal respiratory patterns during sleep. Every 30 days, Apple Watch will analyze breathing disturbance data and notify users if it shows consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea so they can speak to their doctor about next steps, including potential diagnosis and treatment.
Make sure that both your iPhone and Apple Watch are running iOS 18 and watchOS 11 to enable sleep apnea notifications. You can find the full list of supported countries on the Apple website.
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