Snoring Apps vs Oximeters: What Each Records

A snoring app and an overnight oximeter measure two different things. One records sound. The other records blood oxygen and pulse. Neither can stand in for the other.

What does a snoring app tell you?

It uses your phone's microphone, so there's nothing to wear. In the morning you'll typically get:

• How much of the night you snored.
• How loud it was, and when.
• Audio clips you can play back.

What it can't tell you is what your oxygen did. It's also guessing who made the noise. A partner, a pet or a fan can end up in your results.

What does an oximeter tell you?

A ring or wrist unit records your SpO2 and pulse every few seconds. In the morning you'll get:

• How often your oxygen dipped (ODI).
• How long it spent below 90% (T90).
• Your lowest reading.
• What your pulse did.

What it can't tell you is whether you snored. It doesn't record sound.

Do loud nights and low-oxygen nights go together?

Not always. You can snore loudly with a flat oxygen line all night. You can also have a lot of dips on a quiet night. We covered that in snoring vs sleep apnea.

So a quiet recording doesn't tell you your oxygen was steady. And a steady oxygen line doesn't tell you your partner slept well.

Which one should you use?

• Your partner complains about the noise. Start with the app. It's the sound you're trying to change.
• You want to know what your oxygen does. You need an oximeter. Here's whether one is worth it.
• You're testing a change. Use both. Try side sleeping or skipping a late drink, then see whether anything changes in either set of numbers.

How do you use both together?

• Start them at the same time, so the clocks match.
• Find a loud stretch in the app, then look at the same minutes on your oxygen chart.
• Do it for several nights. One night won't tell you much.

PulseOxTracker doesn't record or import audio. You can tag a night as "loud snoring" from your app's report, then compare tagged nights against the rest.

When should you skip both and see a doctor?

Neither one is a sleep study, and neither can tell you whether you have a sleep condition. See a doctor if you snore loudly, someone has heard you stop breathing or gasp, or you're exhausted during the day.

Not a medical device. Does not diagnose, treat or prevent any condition. Discuss results and changes with a clinician.