I first heard about the Oura Ring on a podcast from Dr. Chris Kresser.  As a newer sleep and activity tracking device just overflowing with oodles of data, I was immediately intrigued.  In my opinion, the Oura Ring exceptionally outshines any other sleep tracker that I know of, though it’s lacking some of the daytime tracking information that a FitBit includes.  It does track information 24/7, but it’s marketed (and is more helpful) as a sleep tracker.  Considering that I had gotten my FitBit primarily to track sleep, I was fascinated and completely ready to replace my FitBit with this data-overload technology.  I mean, sleep is where it’s at, friends.  If we’re not sleeping, we’re simply not thriving.

So what is an Oura Ring?

Simply put, the Oura Ring is a sleep and activity tracking device that you wear on your finger.  It’s small enough that I often forget I’m wearing it.  And I love that it uses red light instead of green light like the FitBit, which practically blinded me in the middle of the night whenever I moved.  Also beneficial, the Oura Ring will track data even while on “airplane mode” if preferred, which cuts out the constant bluetooth radio transmission if the user is concerned about EMF exposure. Another nice feature is that you can shower and swim with the Oura ring.

What kind of data does it track?

The better question is what doesn’t it track!  This device offers the mother load of information.  Seriously.  If you geek out on data, you will love this tracker.  It measures all kinds of interesting information while you sleep:

• Sleep Score – Similar to most FitBits and trackers, Oura tracks total sleep, efficiency, disturbances, REM sleep, Deep sleep, sleep latency, sleep timing, and light sleep.  It also makes suggestion on bedtime using the data it collects over several weeks.  Based on all of the measurements collected through the night, Oura gives your sleep a “score” to help you plan for a successful day.
• Readiness Score – Oura also gives you a daily readiness score based on many other factors that are tracked during sleep.  These measurements are probably the most fascinating to me, as they just weren’t available on my FitBit to this extent.  Included measurements with the Oura are: an all-night tracking/chart of your resting heart rate, your recovery index (how long it takes for your resting heart rate to stabilize at it’s lowest point), your basil body temperature (which may be used to track your menstrual cycle), your respiratory rate, and an all-night tracking/chart of your heart rate variability (which is gaining a lot of momentum as a measurement for overall health).  These measurements are then calculated along with other factors including your previous night’s sleep, your overall sleep balance, the previous day’s load, and your activity balance to provide you with a readiness score, also meant to help you plan your activities for the day.
• Activity Score – Oura also tracks how active you are throughout the day (and will remind you to “stretch your legs” if you’ve been sedentary for 50 minutes).  Likewise, it tracks your steps, the total calories you’ve burned, your training frequency, your training volume, and your recovery time.  Oura also keeps track of the intensity of your overall activity throughout the day with low, medium, and high intensity levels.  It calculates all of that data, along with how well you’ve consistently met daily targets over the past week, to give you an activity score.  This is meant to keep you on track with making sure you’re getting enough movement – something that I definitely struggle with.

What doesn’t it track?

Oura does not track heart rate throughout the day, which was the biggest change for me coming from the FitBit.  I do miss that feature, but have grown accustomed to just checking my pulse to get a general idea of where it is.  One small downside to the Oura is that you have to get all the data from the app on your phone, but this isn’t a significant consideration for me.

Other features to know about:

• Moments is a new feature that enables you to track how mindfuness and rest can influence your heart rate.
• Activities give you the opportunity to log specific exercise activities that you do throughout the day, which help you meet your calorie burn goals.
• Notes allow you to jot down a few lines about the contributing factors of the day to help you track your overall wellness.  For example, you can add notes about being worried or stressed, late-night screen time usage, feeling sick, etc.
• Oura Cloud is an online dashboard that enables you to take an even deeper look at your data by watching longer-term trends with charts.

Why would I want to know all this data?

That’s a good question.  While data tracking certainly isn’t for everyone, there are definite benefits to “hacking your health,” as Oura says.  By having access to such robust, real time information, I’m able to make tweaks to my routines and wellness habits to maximize my health.  I’m also able to see the benefits of those tweaks, especially as I’ve witnessed my heart rate variability increase over time.  Likewise, following the long term trends helps me stay on top of other areas of my wellness.  For example, a slight jump in my body temperature may indicate I need to take it easy for a few days, though it also typically means my menstrual cycle is about to start.  And interestingly, I’ve found that when I stick to my nighttime self-care routine and stay away from Netflix binges (and that glass of wine!), my resting heart rate lowers more quickly, giving me higher quality sleep.

There truly are unending ways to use the data to improve overall wellness!  If you are a data tracker like me, the Oura Ring just may be your new favorite device.