I’ve been using an Apple Watch user for a while now, starting with a Series 6 and later upgrading to a Series 8 when it was released three years ago. So for about five years now, I’ve had a bulky square-ish dial on my wrist- and I still do, as I type this article. On the flip side, I’ve owned the Oura Ring 4 for only about 3 weeks now, and it has become this silent source of encouragement pushing me to take care of myself while I go about my life.
As a first-time mom, my sleep cycle has been erratic, to say the least, with frequent nightly wake-ups to feed my infant. This is exactly why I needed to know if I was getting optimal rest and if my health was truly supporting my ability to function during the day. This was the primary reason behind trying out the new Oura Ring 4, which, when compared to a smartwatch, is manageable to sleep with.
Now, I use the Oura Ring 4 all the time as an overall health tracker, while the Apple Watch sticks to being my fitness companion.
No-nonsense sleep tracking
While setting up my Oura Ring, the app asked me a bunch of questions to determine whether I had any special circumstances or health issues that could impact my readings, to which I ticked off the option of having small kids at home, acknowledging the fact that this could affect my sleep score.
For instance, after a night of only about 5.7 hours of sleep, my Oura Ring app presented a detailed picture of my breathing patterns and heart rate, in addition to the standard awake time, REM sleep, deep sleep, and so on. This analysis put things into perspective for me, and the app gave me suggestions as to how I could avoid a long afternoon nap so I could get my sleep cycle back in sync, asking me to wind down during the night with a book or a quick mindfulness session, or taking steps to improve my sleep quality at night. While the advice didn’t stem from the fact that I was frequently waking up because my infant needed me, it did give me actionable items that helped me understand my sleep scores better.
The Oura Ring 4 tracks sleep using a special “Smart sensing” technology that involves a combination of advanced sensors that are fitted into the ring, along with machine-learning algorithms that are specifically trained to track different stages of sleep. It also has sensors that track your oxygen, heart, and respiratory rate to understand how your body functions when you sleep.
Oura’s AI-powered Advisor
As someone who is constantly juggling multiple responsibilities — from managing my role as a News editor, and also navigating the unpredictable challenges that come with having an infant, stress can easily become something that goes under the radar, manifesting as a headache or just pure anxiety, as I transition between home and work, without a moment to myself.
This is when Oura’s AI-powered Advisor comes into play. The sensors constantly monitor my physiological state, and when the smart ring tracks that I’m experiencing elevated levels of stress based on my heart rate variability (HRV), the app instantly sends me a quick notification to take a look at the stats and possibly step back and “breathe the stress away” with a quick four-minute mindfulness session that gives me the much needed moment of calm amidst the daily chaos.
Beyond that, the Oura Ring 4 also doubles as a subtle activity coach. Instead of constantly bugging me with reminders to “close rings”, it gently nudges me to get in 3-4 minutes of movement when it detects longer periods of inactivity. While I still track my workouts with the Watch, these soft reminders from the Oura Advisor actually play a crucial role in keeping me on track with my fitness goals.
While those were the main reasons why I primarily use the Oura Ring 4, I sometimes also track my steps with it when I don’t have my watch on. However, another cool feature that I’m currently experimenting with is “Meals,” a super-easy way to keep track of what you’re eating in a day. Unlike traditional food tracking apps that require users to manually input data, which again is time-consuming to me, all I have to do is take a picture of my plate, and this AI feature will break things down for me. It shows me each “Meal Item” and the nutrients my plate contains, helping me reach for healthier options.
So if you’re a first-time mom juggling work and the challenges that come with having a tiny human at home, then this ring-sized motivator is for you. It will keep track of your sleep, stress, and sanity. The best part is that you don’t have to reach for the charger as often as you would for an Apple Watch, as it offers up to 8 days of battery on a single charge.
While the Oura Ring 4 (starting around $349) is on the more expensive side, it’s worth noting that the Oura Ring 3 has currently crashed back to its lowest price at Amazon ahead of Prime Day, offering a more accessible entry point into Oura’s excellent tracking capabilities.
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