- Eight Sleep technology approved as a medical device in Abu Dhabi to aid in diagnosing sleep apnea
- Approval follows a Health Technology Assessment by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Eight Sleep, the global leader in sleep technology, today announced that its smart bed technology has been approved as a medical device in Abu Dhabi to support the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea. Announced at the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit 2026, the approval follows a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH).
The approval enables physicians to prescribe the Eight Sleep smart bed system to adults with suspected obstructive sleep apnea, for use as an at-home aid in diagnosis. Eight Sleep’s technology produces an Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) score, a standard measure of how often breathing stops or becomes shallow during sleep. A qualified healthcare professional reviews every result alongside the patient’s symptoms, medical history and examination, and standard clinical tests are used where further confirmation is needed.
Night-by-night data for a condition that often goes unseen
Sleep apnea affects nearly one billion people worldwide and is linked to higher risks of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline. Because symptoms vary from night to night, a single overnight study can miss the full picture. Eight Sleep’s technology captures continuous sleep and physiological signals at home, including heart rate, breathing rate, movement, and apnea events, giving physicians a longitudinal view of how a patient actually sleeps.
“Sleep apnea is one of the most common conditions in medicine and one of the most underdiagnosed, in part because we have measured it one night at a time in a lab setting,” said Matteo Franceschetti, co-founder and CEO of Eight Sleep. “Abu Dhabi is giving physicians a way to see data night after night, where patients sleep naturally at home. We are proud to bring our technology into clinical care in Abu Dhabi, and we look forward to demonstrating what it can do for patients.”
Dr Asma Ibrahim Al Mannaei, Executive Director of the Health and Life Sciences Sector at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, said: “Much of what shapes long-term health happens outside the clinic, and sleep is one of the clearest examples. Abu Dhabi’s intelligent health system gives new health technologies a clear path to demonstrate, through clinical evidence, how they support prevention and care, so conditions like sleep apnea are detected and treated earlier. As a regulator, continuous real-world data of this kind allows us to apply an internationally comparable HTA framework, generate robust local evidence, and translate it into informed policy decisions. This approval is that approach at work.”
From research to clinical care
As part of Abu Dhabi’s intelligent health system, DoH’s Health Technology Assessment programme provides a comprehensive, evidence-based framework for evaluating, testing and responsibly integrating new health technologies into the emirate’s healthcare system, allowing innovation to reach patients sooner. DoH is a full member of the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA), the global network of publicly funded HTA agencies, placing Abu Dhabi’s assessments alongside those of leading HTA bodies worldwide.
Earlier this year, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and Eight Sleep, the global leader in sleep technology, have collaborated to study how AI-powered sleep technology could provide a new approach to managing conditions like sleep apnoea. The partnership begun with a first-of-its-kind clinical study in Abu Dhabi that connects real-world data from Eight Sleep’s technology with Abu Dhabi’s population health data. The initial study focused on sleep apnoea, one of the most widespread and underdiagnosed sleep-related conditions globally. It examined how smart bed technology, including real-time adjustments to body position, may help improve how the condition is managed.
About Eight Sleep
Eight Sleep is the company that pioneered sleep fitness, bringing together technology, physiology, and data to unlock deeper sleep and better health. Its products are trusted by professional athletes, business leaders, and health-conscious consumers around the world. Eight Sleep has been recognized as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2026, and has twice been named to TIME’s Best Inventions. Its products are available in more than 35 countries at eightsleep.com.
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