Blood oxygen myths, checked
What people believe about their blood oxygen, why it sounds right, and what is true.
Not the way you think Anything under 95 means something's wrong
95 is where the awake range starts. Asleep you run about a point lower, a healthy night's lowest point averaged about 90, and higher up everyone runs lower.
No A healthy blood oxygen is 100%
Healthy blood sits near full, and 33,080 watch wearers averaged 96 by day. From 95 up, a higher number isn't healthier blood, and 96 and 99 are the same.
Sort of A normal reading means your oxygen is fine
Usually. But oximeters tend to show too high when oxygen is low, more on darker skin. In patients showing 92 to 96, 11.7% of Black patients' measurements were under 88.
No Your watch is as good as a medical oximeter
Apple says its measurements aren't for medical use. With oxygen lowered in a lab, a watch was off by about 6 points below 88, against 3.5 for a medical finger oximeter.
Not the way you think Deep breaths will raise your blood oxygen
At 97 your blood is already nearly full, so there's almost nothing to add. A low number needs its cause found, and harder breathing won't fix that.
No Your oxygen number tells you if you have altitude sickness
People with altitude sickness usually show a normal number for the altitude, says the CDC. A headache with nausea, tiredness or dizziness after a climb decides it.
No One low night means you have sleep apnea
Healthy sleepers' lowest point averaged about 90, and one evening of drinks can lower the next night too. A pattern, or someone seeing you stop breathing, is the sign.
Sort of Snoring is just noise
Often it is. But loud snoring is the first sign doctors ask about for sleep apnea, and alcohol raised breathing pauses in snorers almost twice as much as in everyone.
