Sleep SpO2 - sleep apnea or a fluke reading?

I went to see my doctor after I dropped a dumbbell on my foot, and decided to take the chance and bring up the SpO2 graphs I've been getting on some nights. SpO2 would drop to the low or mid 70s for a few seconds, coupled with a drop in breathing rate to 9 or 10 per min, which is very close to how you detect sleep apnea, happened twice.

Doctor was curious, but skeptical. We measured SpO2 4 times in the clinic and it was 98% on the fingertip sensor and 97% on the watch so he told me to keep tracking it and let him know if this happens a few more times.

While waiting, do many people see such nose dives?? Are flukes in SpO2 and breathing rate common?

Top Replies

DontGetTheSwiss over 3 years ago in reply to Sam201176 +1

Biting on an old thread, but what the heck. I've seen low results on both the AW and the Garmin. It's definitely got me curious, maybe a bit worried. It seems to happen at about the same time each…

All Replies

0 filip.kosut over 3 years ago

tap three dots in right corner and read more info about pulse ox. probably you slept on your arm etc.

0 Sam201176 over 3 years ago

I've seen dips as low as 82 when I tested for a few nights... Maybe two low periods through the night on average...

Could of been just my arm in a funny position... but my stress was high, and I had some bad nights sleep.

0 DontGetTheSwiss over 3 years ago in reply to Sam201176

Biting on an old thread, but what the heck. I've seen low results on both the AW and the Garmin. It's definitely got me curious, maybe a bit worried. It seems to happen at about the same time each night so there could be something there. My dips aren't nearly as large as yours and SpO2 can drop naturally when you are sleeping.

Both the Fenix and the AW, at least in my case, suffer a similar problem, fit. I have to wear the AW looser because the SS impinges on a nerve but the SS is heavier meaning it flops around. The Fenix is a very large device so it has the same problem. And, I'm a hairy guy. So, it would be easy to get bad reads.

I will say the Fenix compared to a fingertip measure is always less by 3 points or so but it's consistently in that direction so drops might be meaningful, or they might not be.

0 jaamgans over 3 years ago in reply to DontGetTheSwiss

if you are getting less than 14 drops per hour, then really wouldn't worry about it. While it may be or may not be apnea related, it isn't an issue and will not affect deep sleep unless you get more than 14 events per hour.

If you are waking up 3+ times per night to urinate that is much more of a red flag as it can suggest a lack of deep sleep (could also be an infection or other factors) - and at that point then yes would certainly raise with your doctor.

0 3943688 over 3 years ago

Mine is exactly like yours. Big single drop. Been searching for answers...

0 jaamgans over 3 years ago in reply to 3943688

if its a one off big drop you can't explain would put it down as an anomaly - could have trapped arm, moved watch so couldn't get proper reading etc.

0 gspinoza over 3 years ago in reply to 3943688

The answer is that the Sp sensor is crap. Deactivate it because it serves no purpose whatsoever.

0 stumac2 over 3 years ago

How did it turn out...I get the same thing 3 times a night, and I wake up...its generally around the same time.

0 stumac2 over 3 years ago in reply to Sam201176

How did it work out...I get the same thing three times a night but I wakeup...happens around the same times

0 DarrinC over 3 years ago in reply to gspinoza

i wouldn't call it crap but it's definitely a step down from the one in my 5x+