oura ring review - 10 things you need to know
oura ring has been called the world’s best sleep tracker by some, but is that the real story? though the product focuses on tracking sleep, the 2022足球世界杯德国队分组 has made it a point to sell it as a health and fitness wearable and smart ring. this caught our researcher team’s attention — that’s when the deep dive into the wellness ring kicked into high gear.
the team dug through the 2022足球世界杯德国队分组 ’s history, how oura ring works, and the science behind the technology. let’s take a look at what they found.
oura ring can be purchased through their official site.
what is oura ring?
simply put, oura ring is an activity tracker that measures sleep. sleep is critical to every body function, mood, energy, appetite, and more. we’re thrilled to see that men and women are looking to sleep health to understand better the changes they need to make to improve overall health and wellness. however, is the ring any different from other sleep trackers like fitbit or motiv ring?
the activity tracker has been utilized in research that’s shown just how effective advanced body and sleep tracking can actually be.
- bmc women’s health – women who wish to track their menstrual cycle can use their oura ring. research reveals, “nocturnal skin temperature based on wearable ring showed potential for menstrual cycle monitoring in real life conditions.”
- ubicomp – the sleep tracker has also been used in research. according to study results, “oura users sleep approximately 7 hours per night and that following a consistent sleep schedule is associated with more efficient sleep.”
- theseus – the ring is also being used by athletes to track training, stress and recovery. however, it may not be the best option as authors found “oura ring could provide useful information for some individuals about overall recovery, but it should be combined with subjective measures.”
2020 update: during the 2020 nba season, players wore the oura ring to help detect body changes that could reflect covid symptoms. there were no cases of the virus during play in the nba “bubble.”
products similar to oura ring
| product | review | |
|---|---|---|
| noom | read |
claimed oura ring benefits
the oura ring is brand new, so there’s not much data in terms of effectiveness, but we know what the 2022足球世界杯德国队分组 claims the sleep tracker will do. these claims include insights into:
- respiration rate
- trends in body temperature
- hrv (heart rate variability)
- resting heart rate
- recovery optimization
- measurement of sleep quality
- sleep stage tracking
- trends in sleep
- measures steps and calories
- alerts the wearer when inactive
compared to other smart rings and trackers, the claims are nearly identical — just worded differently. one new claim is that it records heart rate variability. you could do the same thing by writing down your heart rate from time to time during the day, but that’s not convenient, and products like oura ring are all about convenience meeting functionality.
can the oura ring meet these claims? yes, it will likely store and present all the information it claims it tracks. users do need to consider that the data gives the user a ballpark answer. we see no way any product that’s not medically tested and used in a clinical setting can accurately measure sleep, heart rate, activity level, and others with the same degree of accuracy. users should not take the results as anything other than a source of information to guide your life toward healthier sleep.
so, what does the science have to say about sleep trackers in general?
according to the international journal of environmental research and public health and expert review of medical devices, sleep trackers have become a popular trend, and medicine & science in sports & exercise and isrn neurology noted that these kinds of devices can help evaluate the level of health in other bodily systems.
however, studies in health technology and information found that sleep trackers needed more research to determine if they were effective. additionally, chronobiology international found that these trackers may need more detailed information to accurately predict health.
scroll below for one of the best products we’ve seen over the last year.
common questions about oura ring
is oura ring waterproof?
the new ring is not waterproof, but it is water-resistant up to 328 feet or 100 meters. if you have the first model, it is water-resistant up to 164 feet or 50 meters.
what is the ideal duration of sleep?
the ideal duration of sleep is not a single number you can put the finger on. it is variable with likely hundreds of variables going into an estimate for a single person. however, for the sake of giving the duration a number, the national sleep foundation says the ideal length of sleep for young adults 18-25 and adults 26-64 is seven to nine hours per night. users 65+ should get between seven and eight hours of sleep nightly.
similar products and upgrades
there’s only one major competitor for the oura ring at this time, and that’s the motiv ring. other smart products like the garmin fitness tracker and the apple watch are in different leagues and aren’t comparable.
old vs. new
the first model of an electronic device is a testing version if you will. this is the model that the 2022足球世界杯德国队分组 gets the best feedback from, and it paves the way through upgrades and changes that make the second model “better” than the first. with the new oura ring, you get a series of updates based on real-life use.
oura ring vs. motiv ring
the motiv ring is also a smart tracker, but this one talks about fitness tracking. oura ring focuses on sleep tracking and the effect of good sleep on fitness. each offers a unique set of features and some features that overlap.
oura ring vs. apple watch
the oura ring and apple watch aren’t even in the same category. smartwatches are larger and have more room internally for advanced calculations and features. people who wear the apple watch are looking for all the features of the oura ring and motiv ring along with cell phone connectivity and two-way communication.
how much does oura ring cost?
the oura ring costs between $299 and $999. these prices will depend on the shape, color, and style. shapes include heritage and balance, while colors include silver, black, stealth, and silver diamond. these prices include:
heritage silver: $299heritage black: $299heritage stealth: $399balance silver: $299balance black: $299heritage gold: $399balance silver diamond: $999
as of january 2022, the oura ring offers one version.
- oura ring generation 3: $299
- oura membership: $5.99/month (after six months free)
details on the oura ring app
according to the official website, the app is available for ios devices (apple). there’s no mention of android devices (for the latest update), and the device pictured looks like an apple product. we know there’s an android application launched before the newest version. the design is beautiful, and the user experience is fluid.
there’s no mention of cost. we figure the 2022足球世界杯德国队分组 includes the value of the app in the oura ring price. it is unique that the information collected by the sleep tracker is on the oura cloud, which brings up security questions.
according to amia annual symposium proceedings archive, tracking your health is proven to aid in reaching health goals.
here are the following updates coming in 2022:
- workout heart rate coming in early 2022.
- period prediction is available on ios at launch. available on android in early 2022.
- spo2 coming in 2022.
- explore tab is available on ios now. available on android in late 2021.
the oura ring and prince harry
in celebrity news, prince harry was seen wearing a black ring that some news outlets, like the sun, called “bizarre.”
reddit reviews
reddit has over 130,000 active communities dedicated to providing advice and commentary. there are also almost 2.8 million subreddits filled with information. we researched oura ring reddit reviews to see what consumers had to say.
according to reddit reviews, some users loved the oura ring, while others were not as impressed. a few people had concerns about the overall accuracy of the data readings and whether there was a more cost-effective alternative that is just as accurate.
what users are saying
“i love oura ring, it has been tracking my sleep well for the past year or so. it gives great insight about my sleep patterns and it’s very stylish.”
“best fitness tracking for hrv during sleep on the market. sleep metrics are not so good as polysomnography but much better than garmin or fitbit.”
“absolutely amazing! it looks super sleek and gets tons of attention. it’s on the expensive side, and only the newest version has an active heart rate monitor. but for a sleep and activity monitor, it’s great!”
bottom line on the oura ring
the oura ring jumps straight into the wearables market with style and grace. if prince harry wears one, it must be something special. well, the features are useful and the app is nearly flawless, so there’s nothing negative to say about the ring. if you’re looking to keep track of your lifestyle and health choices and factors that affect you daily, this product isn’t a bad choice.
along with tracking, which we believe can be a significant factor in self-accountability, there are programs that science has shown can help support general health and body functions that affect metabolic rate and weight.
among the best of those we’ve researched in the last year is noom. you get your standard tracking, but the team goes much further with personalized meal plans, one-on-one human coaching, expert health articles and a food database managed by nutritionists.
noom is now available as a free trial offer to dietspotlight readers.
learn more about noom »
darren behan (verified purchase)
there has been an issue for months now where the ring barely lasts a few days before needing recharging. nothing has been done to address it. customer support, if you can call it that, basically tells you to wait indefinitely or shut off functionality. this is a $300 item, not chump change, it should work as advertised and it absolutely does not and there is no redress for it. i would avoid purchasing.
mc cortina (verified purchase)
mari carmen cortina
sep 9, 2022, 10:15 pm pdt
i had the oura ring generation 2. all good. then i bought the generation 3. i was happy until i found out that after 6 months, i have a useless $400 ring. oura shut off all the data from the ring unless you pay them $72 a year. i am super upset that i have to have a membership to have my ring work at all!!! i recommended this ring to my whole family. now i will do the opposite!!! this was not told to me when i bought it. i didn’t know i was enslaved to paying a fee to have a ring i paid $400 dollars to work!!!! very, very upset!!!!!!!! i can understand they offer a membership for the customer that want all the update. but i am happy with just what i had. on top it it. i think the light it omits at night caused my finger joint to become very sore. i am having physio on it and the other two fingers that touch the ring too.
bgee (verified purchase)
i have had the oura ring for 4 weeks, i have a problem with sleep, i have tried a few of the watch type trackers but hard to wear at night, the ring seemed a good option. for the first two weeks the ring worked as advertised it showed my breathing and heart rate, time sleeping. because of a health condition i have good weeks and bad, my right side is at maybe 50% so i lift and do most of my activity with my left side, the tightness and pain causes me to have to spend a lot of time lying down, because of that the ring would say i was a sleep sometimes, the ring started to have a hard time connecting and i would miss an hour here and there and by the fourth week it stopped connecting in the morning, i went through all the troubleshooting even did a reset, contacted customer service told them the problem, type of ring and info. they got back very quickly, they connected to the ring, no problem, must be on my side not the ring. i got up this morning with no data for my heart rate in the evening just one dot every 4 hours from last 8 hours, and i slept 7 of the 8, which was pretty cool since i watched a movie until 3:30 and forced myself to to sleep and i was up at 6 and went to the bathroom then stayed in bed a wake until i had to take my breakfast meds. a lot of potential, but not yet there, they set all the parameters for you, a athletic type of person who goes to bed at the same time everyday and has a routine. something i don’t have. i will keep wearing it for the full 6 months of the free monitoring but i will not be paying the $6 a month there after. with tax total it is costing me $57 a month for the first 6 months.
battery stopped charging and ring became useless after two years. attempts to fix it were mainly comprised of emails from the 2022足球世界杯德国队分组 asking me to try a different charger.
robin-lee clarke (verified purchase)
worst 2022足球世界杯德国队分组 , absolutely no customer service! i have had an oura ring since 2018, they had my old email address, so i changed it in their program, but, they have not updated in the sales department so they don’t recognize that i am eligible for the free lifetime membership! i have sent them many, many emails, and have received two replies from two different people assuring me they would get beck to me in 5 business days, it has been a month and nothing!
it is infuriating, and definitely buyer beware. i will never recommend this 2022足球世界杯德国队分组
my experience as well. hard to believe they will remain in business this way.
joe bekanich (verified purchase)
does what it says it will do…report on your sleep and readiness. my wife and i have one which helps to add motivation to stay active and get proper sleep. support was very responsive when i emailed with a question. i’m contemplating giving as a gift since this health hardware is evolving. health knowledge is valuable. heart rate variable rates are an interesting measure and is right there for you to see. ring is set up for easy viewing for your daily numbers (outcomes).
i received my oura ring right away shipped in one day. returns are another story, so think twice about ordering this product. there is no one to speak with and you only have 30 days to return. i have submitted a request twice now for a return authorization number and have yet to hear back from the 2022足球世界杯德国队分组 . you cannot return the ring with out this authorization or they will not refund your money. funny how they are still shipping in one day but in 4 days i still have no return authorization number. would not recommend this product there are less expensive versions that do the same just as well for less.