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SleepFM AI Model: Stanford University's New Research Predicts 130 Diseases from Breathing Patterns During Sleep

New Research from Stanford University, 130 Diseases to be Predicted by Breathing Rate While Sleeping. Know How This Magical Tool Works.

2 min read
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Bharat

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Patrika Desk

Jan 12, 2026

Image: Freepik

SleepFM AI Model: We often say, "out of sight, out of mind," but science is now suggesting that a night's sleep not only alleviates fatigue but also writes the health prognosis for your future. Imagine if you could sleep soundly while your bed transformed into a doctor, without the need for blood tests or needles, and you could wake up knowing which illnesses you might face in five years.

This sounds like something out of a science fiction film, doesn't it? However, scientists at Stanford University in the United States have made it a reality. They have developed a technology that can predict future illnesses simply by observing your sleeping patterns, breathing rate, and the sound of your snoring.

Let's delve into what this research entails and why it is crucial for all of us.

SleepFM: The AI Doctor That Wakes Up When You Sleep?

Researchers at Stanford have created a highly intelligent Artificial Intelligence (AI) model, which they have named SleepFM. This model monitors every subtle movement and physiological signal during a person's sleep.

This research has been published in the renowned medical journal Nature Medicine. Scientists claim that our bodies emit various signals while we sleep. How our breathing patterns are, our heart rate, and how often we change position in our sleep all reveal secrets about our internal health. This new AI model decodes these signals and can predict up to 130 different types of diseases in advance.

From Heart Attacks to Cancer… What Can It Detect?

The findings of this research are truly astonishing. Scientists collected sleep data from approximately 65,000 individuals, encompassing around 585,000 hours of recordings. When this data was fed into the SleepFM model, it demonstrated remarkable accuracy.

Heart Attack: The model correctly identified individuals at risk of heart attack in 8 out of 10 cases.

Dementia: It proved even more adept at detecting neurological disorders, accurately predicting dementia in 8.5 out of 10 cases.

Kidney and Cancer: It identified the risk of kidney failure with 80% accuracy, while its prediction for breast cancer risk was correct in 9 out of 10 instances.

Overall, the predictions made by this AI doctor were accurate in 75% of cases.

What Exactly Happens During Sleep?

You might be wondering how illnesses can be detected during sleep. In reality, even when we are in deep sleep, our brain, heart, and lungs remain active.

Scientists have found that individuals whose sleep is frequently interrupted or who cannot achieve deep sleep are more likely to experience future neurological issues. Such individuals may develop conditions like Alzheimer's or dementia later in life. Furthermore, if your breathing becomes laboured or oxygen levels drop during sleep, it is a clear indicator of potential heart and lung diseases.

Why is This Discovery Significant for Doctors?

Often, the symptoms of serious illnesses begin to develop long before they become apparent, but we tend to ignore them. We typically seek medical attention only when the disease has progressed significantly. However, with the help of tools like SleepFM, diseases can be detected at their nascent stages.

In the future, it is possible that your smartwatch or a sensor embedded in your mattress could alert you, saying, "Owner, your sleep is not optimal; you should get a heart check-up." This research marks the beginning of a new revolution in the medical world.