My sister received an Oura ring for Christmas to replace her Apple watch. She says there’s no going back to a smart watch. She loves her Oura ring. So much so that I asked her to write a post about it. I’m considering getting one for myself and found her thoughts very insightful. Without further adieu…
OURA Gen 3 Heritage – Silver by Alison Stephens
Last fall, my well-loved Smart Watch finally croaked. My husband begged me not to replace it. He – correctly – felt like it distracted me all too easily during dinners, family time, etc. He also missed seeing me wear the beautiful watch he gave me when our son was born. All good points . . . and I missed the look of my dressier watch, too. I swapped the watch but really missed tracking my activity. Enter the OURA ring!
For Christmas, I received the silver Heritage OURA Gen 3. It’s been super easy to adjust to wearing (I recommend sizing up), and I actually think it looks good on my hand. It’s comfortable and sleek and is fashionable on its own or with stackable rings. Installing the app on my phone was easy, and the entire set-up process was quick.
I never slept in my smart watch, so tracking sleep data with the OURA ring is brand new to me. I love it! In less than two months, I have spotted patterns in the data, especially REM and total time asleep, that are helpful. For example, while I’ve anecdotally noted that certain drinks affect my quality of sleep, this is the science I need to help address it. I’ve also noticed that Sunday nights usually generate a lower sleep score (I have got to calm down), and there are monthly trends as well that other women can probably appreciate.
Sleep Data
Several mornings a week I log a workout in our home gym. I do prioritize my workouts and am consistent with reaching my activity goals. However, OURA has brought it to my attention that I am failing with “hours of inactivity.” I work at a desk and I am in lots of meetings. There are days when my activity goal is met, but my inactivity score is low (red) because of consecutive hours of stationary activity. Boo. Ten hours a day of inactivity can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. My takeaway here is that morning workouts are not enough! I have got to carve time out of my day for walks. I shared this with my team last week, and we’re committing to more “walking” meetings, especially as the weather warms.
Activity Tracker
The OURA ring charges in minutes and holds a charge for a long time. I charge it most evenings when I’m washing dishes (it is waterproof, but I always remove my rings for dish duty), and easily get 24 hours out of it – if not more. I’m honestly not sure if I’ve seen the charge drop below 60% yet, so I think you would be just fine for an overnight if you left the charger at home.
Charging
Every evening at 9 p.m. an alert from the app that suggests I begin my bedtime routine. This gentle nudge is simple but effective, especially if I’m mindlessly scrolling when the alert appears.
I am at the tip of the iceberg with exploring the other health benefits OURA offers, but from what I’ve seen so far, the ring is an easy tool to help track – and adjust – some health habits. If you’re looking for a stylish alternative to a smart watch fitness tracker, I definitely recommend visiting OURA.com. I am eager to continue the discovery process with my ring and adjust my habits for better health.
Thanks, Alison! To be perfectly honest, I was concerned with how the ring would look…is it too masculine? Too chunky? But it is actually stylish and looks extra good when stacked. I think I’ll be treating myself soon. I hope this review helps you, too! If you are interested, the ring is available here: https://ouraring.com/
Have a great weekend!
