Apple Watch Alert Leads 38-Year-Old Veteran to Sleep Apnea Diagnosis After 30-Day Tracking
Updated
Updated · 9to5Mac · Oct 17
Apple Watch Alert Leads 38-Year-Old Veteran to Sleep Apnea Diagnosis After 30-Day Tracking
2 articles · Updated · 9to5Mac · Oct 17
Summary
David Aladejobi, a 38-year-old Air Force veteran, sought medical care after his Apple Watch flagged possible sleep apnea, leading to a diagnosis, sleep-lab referral and CPAP prescription.
The alert initially seemed easy to dismiss, but Aladejobi connected it with snoring and headaches and sent his doctor a screenshot of the notification.
Apple’s feature uses the watch’s accelerometer to track breathing disturbances during sleep, reviewing patterns over 30 days and warning users when signs point to moderate to severe sleep apnea.
Users must enable sleep tracking and wear a compatible watch to bed for at least 10 nights; Apple says the notification is not a diagnosis but a prompt to see a doctor.
The case highlights how a background health feature launched two years ago can surface otherwise undiagnosed conditions with potentially serious risks such as high blood pressure or worse.