Why does my AirSense 10 and Withings Sleep Mat report such different AHI values?
Hello everyone,
I use an AirSense 10 CPAP device and monitor my AHI daily. My average AHI is around 8.9 (I am working to improve it). At the same time, I track my AHI using a Withings Sleep Mat. Interestingly, the trends between the two are consistent — when one increases, so does the other, and vice versa. However, the Withings Sleep Mat consistently reports AHI values that are about three times higher than those from the AirSense 10 (average AHI around 26).
Could this mean that the AirSense 10 only reports the events it wasn't able to eliminate, while the Withings Sleep Mat measures all events, including those that the CPAP corrected after they started? Or is there another explanation for this discrepancy?
Thank you for your insights!
RE: Why does my AirSense 10 and Withings Sleep Mat report such different AHI values?
First I've heard of the Withings Sleep Mat. I had to google it. It's also sold on Amazon.
I'm not sure how it can detect actual AHI readings. The Sleep Score number that their App gives you isn't an AHI reading. But it can alert someone that they have a problem and should get checked for sleep apnea.
An excerpt from a Google article:
'The Withings Sleep Analyzer is an under-mattress sleep tracker that is designed for optimal sleep monitoring. It can detect moderate-severe sleep apnea syndrome in patients suspected of sleep apnea syndrome. It can also measure your sleeping heart rate, and the lower the better. The Sleep Analyzer works by listening to your snoring, detecting your movement, and measuring all forms of data like your heart rate."
RE: Why does my AirSense 10 and Withings Sleep Mat report such different AHI values?
Hello,
They claim it can detect the actual AHI number. To simplify interpretation, they categorize the results into three levels of severity: normal to mild; moderate; and severe.
In fact you can find in the app also the graph of the AHI measurements with the esplicit AHI numbers
RE: Why does my AirSense 10 and Withings Sleep Mat report such different AHI values?
I also use the Withings Sleep Mat that I purchased years ago for tracking my sleep stages. Even though I don't really trust it readings for sleep stages, it does seem very accurate for picking up your heart rate. When compared to Oscar I have noticed that every time I take a big gasp of air right before or after an apnea, according to the sleep mat it shows my heart rate rises. As far as sleep apnea, I don't see where it is accurate at all. A few nights ago my Resmed Aircurve 10 showed my AHI was 0.97 but the Withings Sleep Mat showed it was 11. Last night my AHI was 3.4 according to the data card from my machine whereas the Withings Sleep Mat showed it was 11. That is a lot of difference. I think I would trust the readings from my Resmed which is recording every breath I take compared to a mat under my mattress picking up body movement or a heart rate. Just my opinion.
RE: Why does my AirSense 10 and Withings Sleep Mat report such different AHI values?
Thank you for sharing your thoughts—I really value your opinion. It’s interesting to see that you’re experiencing similar issues with reading gaps, although your example seems even worse than mine. In your case, the mat readings stay fixed, whereas mine although higher, fluctuate in line with the ResMed device.
Like you I think that the most likely explanation is the "lack of precision" in the mat and I rely on the ResMed measurements. But as I mentioned earlier, one possible alternative explanation could be that the mat detects all apnea events before the ResMed device intervenes. However, this is just my speculation, as I don’t have any technical documentation to confirm it. It’s unfortunate that we don’t have more clarity on this.