Media Release

Is there more to your snore?
SleepCheck app to assess Aussies’ risk of sleep apnoea

Brisbane, Australia, 12 August 2020: ResApp Health today announces the launch of SleepCheck, a brand new health screening app developed to help assess users’ risk of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a disorder in which breathing stops and starts repeatedly during sleep.

Snoring is not only annoying for sleepless partners, but it is also a common sign of sleep apnoea, a serious condition that affects over 775,000 Australians every year. While almost a fifth of Australian adults may be at risk1, 80% suffering from moderate and severe sleep apnoea are undiagnosed2. As well as causing fatigue, mood imbalances, headaches and an impaired immune system, if left untreated, sleep apnoea could lead to more serious conditions such as depression, heart issues and stroke. Sleep apnoea sufferers are also seven times more likely to be in a car accident3.

Thanks to SleepCheck, snorers can now quickly and easily determine if they are at risk of sleep apnoea. The app, which is currently available to purchase from the iOS App Store, uses the microphone on an iPhone to record and analyse an adult’s breathing and snoring patterns overnight. SleepCheck’s clinically validated algorithms will tell users if their snoring is a sign of sleep apnoea, and point them in the right direction for treatment.

Despite the common nature of sleep apnoea, and given the often daunting nature of participating in a sleep study, people often put up with poor sleep and diminished quality of life. With SleepCheck, users can assess the risk of sleep apnoea overnight, in the comfort of their own bed.

Tony Keating, CEO of ResApp Health, said, “Many Australians snore, but few know that snoring is a leading indicator of a more serious condition, such as sleep apnoea.

Sleep apnoea is more common than you think and can have a significant impact on your quality of life. SleepCheck offers an easy way to check if there is more behind the snore and help you on your way towards better sleep, and importantly, a healthier life.”

How SleepCheck works:

  1. Download the SleepCheck app from the iOS App Store
    Once installed, users provide their age, gender and neck size. This information, along with an analysis of the user’s breathing and snoring sounds, is used to accurately assess the user’s risk of obstructive sleep apnoea.
  2. Go to sleep with SleepCheck
    Users set up their optimum sleeping environment and press record. Users should ensure they sleep alone, their phone is charging and on ‘Do Not Disturb’.
  3. Wake up to the results
    When the user wakes, they should tap and hold the ‘Stop’ button to complete the test at which point the analysis process will begin. It can take between 20 and 60 seconds to provide a result, depending on the users’ iPhone device.

SleepCheck acts as a screening test to determine a user’s risk of sleep apnoea. The analysis report will scale a user’s risk from low to very high. In the event of a medium, high or very high-risk result, the app will recommend a user consults a doctor for further analysis and treatment.

SleepCheck is available for iOS, and costs $7.99 to download. Once downloaded, SleepCheck can be used an unlimited amount of times. For more information visit: sleepcheckapp.com

1 Appleton S.L., et al. Prevalence and comorbidity of sleep conditions in Australian adults: 2016 Sleep Health Foundation national survey. Sleep Health. 2018;4(1):13-19.
2 Young, T., et al. Estimation of the clinically diagnosed proportion of sleep apnoea syndrome in middle-aged men and women. Sleep. 1997;20(9):705-706.
3 Young, T., et al. Sleep-disordered breathing and motor vehicle accidents in a population-based sample of employed adults. Sleep, 1997;20(8):608-613.

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About Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
Obstructive sleep apnoea is a serious medical condition characterised by the intermittent partial or entire obstruction of the upper airway, which prevents air from flowing to the lungs for ten seconds or longer during sleep. In some cases, this can happen more than 30 times per hour all night. This causes daytime tiredness, reduced productivity and an impaired immune system, and has been linked to serious complications such as heart disease, hypertension, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Sleep apnoea affects nearly a third of all men, and a fifth of all women.

About ResApp Health Limited
ResApp Health Limited (ASX: RAP) is a leading digital health company developing smartphone applications for the diagnosis and management of the respiratory disease. ResApp’s machine learning algorithms use sound to diagnose and measure the severity of respiratory conditions without the need for additional accessories or hardware. ResApp’s regulatory-approved and clinically validated products include ResAppDx, a smartphone-based acute respiratory disease diagnostic test for use in telehealth, emergency department and primary care settings; and SleepCheck, a smartphone application which allows consumers to self-assess their risk of sleep apnoea. Both products are CE Marked in Europe and TGA approved in Australia. For more information, please visit www.resapphealth.com.au.

Media Contacts
Lottie Armstrong
Account Manager, The PR Group
E: [email protected]

Zoe Potter
Senior Account Executive, The PR Group
E: [email protected]

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