I spent a recent Monday in the hospital for a minor matter and was hooked up to many machines that measured my vitals. Those machines are very much part of modern medicine. Health gadgets are also one of the fastest-growing segments in electrical retailers today — visit any store, and you’ll see how much shelf space they are dedicating to them.
I recently started wearing a smartwatch again and have been enjoying all the health data and insights it provides. However, wearing a watch, although comfortable 24/7, was starting to wear thin, especially in bed. I was offered an Oura Ring 4 to try, which, except for the operation mentioned above and charging, has not left my finger in six weeks. Here is what I have learned so far.
Wearing the Oura Ring 4 for the first time
At this stage, the ring is still learning my body, and I continue to learn Oura’s capabilities. This is not just a sleep and heartbeat tracker; it is so much more.
Before I get into that, this ring is a commitment. You will pay $799 for a ceramic ring and between $569 and $800 for a metal ring. Then, after your first month, you must pay a $10 monthly subscription, so you are very much looking at the price of a quality dress ring.
At 8mm wide, the ring makes a statement, so carefully choose which colour suits you best from five metals and four ceramics. The good news is I find mine very smart and am happy to wear it.
I have worn a wedding ring for 30 years, so I knew what I was in for. However, the finger I had used the sizing kit (in-store or the free sizing kit once you commit online) to make my decision on is not where I am wearing it now. Oura suggests wearing the dummy plastic ring for 24 hours before choosing your size. They also suggest a snug fit.
I had picked my ring finger on my other hand, and after a week, I found it kept clashing when I was hand-washing. Now I wear on my finger that represents strength on my left hand; little did I know there was also a meaning behind wearing a ring on different digits. On hot days, my fingers tend to swell, which was also a consideration I did not account for. My advice is to choose carefully.
What data does the Oura Ring collect
Back to the data. Oura’s ring collects the following information:
Sleep
- Sleep timing and quality
- Nighttime movement
- Sleep regularity
- Sleep stages
- SpO2 (blood oxygen level)
Activity and Fitness
- Calories burned
- Step count
- Activity level
- Distance
- Average pace
- Average heart rate
Womens Health
- Temperature trends
- Fertile window
- Cycle day
- Cycle phase
- Period prediction
Now, I wanted sleep and overnight heart rate, and it amazes me day after day with the insight the ring gives me as it collects more data. It makes suggestions about stress and not getting enough sleep, and reminds me to be more active, including the fact that I have been sitting still too long.
A good example of something new is that today it has told me there are minor signs of something straining my body. Indeed, so I have wounds from an operation. Last week, I learned that my heart rate was, on average, two beats slower than the week before.
Even though I know whether I feel energised, just in case, I can review my Oura readiness score to see if I am up to an activity. The ring tracks activity and even prompts you to confirm what you have done, like walking or biking. If you don’t make an activity goal, it lets you know. After a month of recording, I was advised my heart health was 0.5 years below my age, which I am sort of disappointed about, but better than the other way.
What else does it do?
I have only scratched the surface, and Oura tells me they are working hard on more health functionality through software updates. In saying this, most of the hard work is done in the cloud and displayed on the Oura smartphone app. The ring has no screen or vibration, just some sensors built into the underside of the ring. It does make your finger glow at night for those of you who want to do ET impressions. A recent feature introduced is nutrition, which lets you enter data in the app for even more insights.
The Oura Ring 4 is water-resistant to 100m but not recommended for scuba diving, which is well within that limit. There is also a warning not to have the ring submerged for more than 12 hours. It is also recommended that you avoid harsh chemicals and sunscreens. High-impact sports would not be advised, as the ring is a small knuckle buster. I have not managed to scratch mine yet, and I have not been trying to protect it in daily use, including home chores.
Oura advertises that the battery life of the Ring 4 is between 5-8 days. I find I get about six days before I get a warning, and recharging takes about an hour. I have enjoyed my Oura journey so far, and I look forward to the insight I get next, hopefully to keep me healthier.
