Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that sleep apnea monitoring was enabled in iOS 18.2 beta. Article has been superseded to reflect that this feature has been officially approved for all Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2, and Series 10 users in Canada..
Apple announced in September that sleep apnea detection would be coming to the Apple Watch, and the feature is now available in many countries around the world. As of today, Canada has joined the list of sleep apnea notifications available to Apple Watch users.
Apple enables sleep apnea detection on Apple Watch in Canada
Apple has launched sleep apnea notifications in more than 150 countries, and Canada has joined the list. Health-related features must be approved by national regulatory authorities. The company is now rolling out the feature to users in the country after Health Canada gave Apple permission to enable it in the country in September.
Sleep apnea detection was introduced in watchOS 11 on Apple Watch Series 9 and later. This feature uses your Apple Watch’s accelerometer to detect potential breathing problems while you sleep. Apple explains:
Sleep is an important area of health as it affects a person’s overall physical and mental health. Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which breathing temporarily stops during sleep, causing the body to not receive enough oxygen. The condition is estimated to affect more than 1 billion people worldwide, but most cases go undiagnosed. If left untreated, it can have significant health consequences over time, including increased risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
Breathing Disturbances is an innovative new metric on Apple Watch that uses accelerometers to detect small movements of the wrist that occur during sleep that disrupt normal breathing patterns. Apple Watch analyzes breathing disorder data every 30 days and notifies users if they are showing consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea, including potential diagnosis and treatment. You can talk to your doctor about next steps.
To enable sleep apnea notifications, make sure both your iPhone and Apple Watch are running iOS 18 and watchOS 11. A complete list of supported countries can be found on Apple’s website.
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