It’s been almost two years since I decided to get an Oura Ring and honestly. I don’t look back: It’s been an incredibly helpful tool when it comes to better understanding my body and habits and what impact they have on my sleep, but most importantly my health and wellbeing.
So if you’re thinking about getting an Oura Ring, read on. I’ll share all the information you need as well as my personal experience and a review of the wearable, so you can make the decision whether or not the Oura Ring is suitable for you!
Ready to have all your questions about the Oura Ring answered? Great! Let’s start!
What is an Oura Ring?
If you’re new to the world of health tracking and wearables, you may be wondering: What even is an Oura Ring? Essentially the Oura Ring is a sleep and activity tracker that continuously measures the physiological signals of your body, analyzes them and helps you optimize your lifestyle for maximum wellness. Oura, the company behind the ring, was founded in Finland a few years ago with the goal to help its users improve the way they live their lives and it has firmly stuck to that vision since.
What does the Oura Ring track?
Let’s talk about the most important part of the Oura Ring: Its tracking features. At the core of the Oura Ring is its 24/7 heart rate monitoring. This can teach users how their bodies respond to their lifestyle. Tracking heart rate during workouts can provide valuable insights on how the body responds during and also after exercise, and how physical activity impacts the sleep. Besides activity, Oura Ring also tracks restorative time, by detecting both lower heart rate and changes in body temperature. Just like activity is important, so is rest and the Oura Ring wants to make sure users pay attention to and incorporate both on a daily basis.
Another important measurement is temperature. The ring is equipped with 7 research-grade temperature sensor. After wearing it for a few weeks Oura Ring will determine your unique “normal” temperature and pick up on changes. This is especially relevant for women, as the Oura Ring can now be used in connection with Natural Cycles for fertility tracking using the basal temperature method. Oura will also inform its menstruating users a couple of days before the start of the next period, which can be handy in order to prepare and have period care products on hand when needed.
Following a recent update the Oura Ring now also measures blood oxygen levels while sleeping. By monitoring this biomarker, it can detect signs of illness, altitude or potential breathing issues, which makes it a great preventative health tool.
In addition to this Oura has recently also included a Body Clock graph in its app, which displays a 24-hour clock face with sections to compare your optimal sleep window to your current sleep patterns. The optimal sleep window is based on a user’s chronotype, which is the biological baseline or circadian rhythm that tells you when you are at your most active and alert.
What I like about the Oura Ring is its automatic, ongoing detection of a number of different vitals I care about. Without you actively having to do anything, the ring will collect data, the algorithm will get smarter and you will continue to get better insights that help you make more informed choices, which are in line with your health and wellness goals. Besides the tracking of biomarkers, it also automatically detects rest and naps, as well as activity without you having to do a thing.
Worth noting is also that there is more to Oura Ring than just the ring, and tracking in the app. The mobile app, besides its tracking features also offers heaps of content. All of it is of course evidence based and educational. What’s special though is that it is personalized and helps you build healthy habits bit by bit. Guided meditation sessions for sleep and rest, but also for other cases like focus and creativity, help you prepare your mind for whatever you are trying to achieve.
Some users have reportedly replaced both period tracking and meditation apps and are only using the content and functionality in the Oura app, which can work for the average user. I still like to use Oura in connection with Natural Cycle, although the prediction of periods (cycle tracking) in the Oura app is very accurate and I like that it alerts me a couple of days before it thinks my period arrives. I also like that for period tracking it is only necessary to enter the first date of the period and the app will do the rest. The main reason I still have a separate mediation app (I like and Headspace) is that I sometimes like to enjoy longer sessions (30+ minutes), which the Oura app currently doesn’t offer.
How accurate is the Oura Ring?
In early 2022 a team of researchers published the results of an accuracy assessment of the Oura Ring. Their conclusion was that the Oura ring could accurately measure nocturnal heart rate. It also measured the RMSSD (root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats) accurately and produced acceptable results when it comes to nocturnal AVNN, pNN50, HF, and SDNN accuracy.
Oura itself also conducted an assessment and found that the Oura ring performed near-perfect for resting heart rate (r² = 0.996) and extremely high for heart rate variability (r² = 0.980) when compared to a medical-grade ECG device.
So if you’re wondering how accurate the Oura Ring actually is, you will be happy to hear that the Oura Ring is accurate enough for most users and use cases. I for one, have been quite happy with the results, and – for what it’s worth – the Oura data matches my subjective experience of my sleep and activity level on pretty much any given day.
Price: How much is an Oura Ring? Does the Oura Ring have a monthly fee?
The Oura Ring (Generation 3, Heritage, Silver) currently sells for €314 EUR. (ca. 300$). Depending on the model and color you get the price could be a bit more though. And yes, for those purchasing a new Oura Ring there is indeed a monthly fee, which is a rather new development and understandagly upset a number of its OG users, when the change to a subscription model in additional to purchasing the ring was announced. The so-called Oura membership costs €5.99/month ($5.99/month) today. Membership is free for the first 6 months, so you can test your ring and see if membership is for you, afterwards the monthly membership fee will be charged.
If you would like to save more money you can purchase a used Oura ring. Be careful though: You need to ensure that the used ring you purchase is in the right size, otherwise it will be a waste of money.
Oura Ring Size: Which finger is best and how tight should it be? (Sizing)
When you place an order for a new Oura Ring, you will need to know which size ring to get. If you don’t know your size, which most users don’t, Oura will send you a so-called Oura Ring Sizing Kit. This kit will arrive around 2-7 days after you place an order. The Oura Ring Sizing Kit is essentially a small box with a number of plastic rings in different sizes, which you can wear to see which size is right for you. If you have a friend, who already has an Oura ring, you can also borrow their sizing kit to speed up the process, as Oura won’t need to ship you a sizing kit. Don’t rush it too much though: It is recommended (by Oura and me!) you wear the Oura Ring for a day or so and over night to make sure the ring is comfortable.
So let’s talk about sizing. Understandably one of the most common questions for new Oura Ring users is “Which Finger is best and how tight should it be?”. I know it was my biggest concern when I first got my ring. I wanted to make sure I got the right size, and didn’t waste money on a ring that wouldn’t fit or produce the data and results I was after.
So what’s the best finger for the Oura Ring? The company’s recommendation is for the ring to be worn on the index finger for optimal performance due to its consistent blood flow, skin temperature, and the placement of the sensor in the ring. This is also what I have decided to do. If wearing the ring on your index finger is for some reason uncomfortable for you, the middle finger or ring finger are good alternatives as well. If you wonder whether or not the Oura Ring can be worn on the pinky finger or thumb, you technically can, but we would advise against this as it doesn’t lead to optimal results. And in the end, the whole point is to have accurate data about your health. So In conclusion: The index finger is best. The middle and ring finger are ok. Can you wear the Oura ring on the thumb or on the pinky fingers? Yes. Should you? No. I also chose to not wear the Oura Ring on my dominant hand mainly because I thought it would be more comfortable on my non-dominant hand. I think this was a good decision for me, as it never feels like the ring is in the way.
As mentioned earlier to make sure you get the right size ring, you fortunately have the option to request a sizing kit before ordering the actual Oura Ring. Especially if this is your first ring, I strongly recommend not skipping or rushing this step. The sizing kit allows you to try different ring sizes on different fingers over an extended period of time (ideally over night). That way you can be sure, that when the ring arrives, you will have picked the right size and can wear it on whatever finger is most comfortable for you.
But how tight should the Oura Ring be? Again, my recommendation here is to rely on the sizing kit. Put on a ring that feels comfortable and wear it for 24 hours or more. Important: Make sure you don’t skip the night, as fingers tend to swell while you’re lying down during sleep over night, which affects the fit. In my case I initially thought a size 8 ring was for me, but eventually went with a size 9, as the ring was too tight and uncomfortable for me when I woke up after a good night of sleep. When hiking or during physical exercise when my fingers swell, I sometimes still move the ring to my middle or ring finger, which ensures I can continue to measure. Overall your goal is to be sure you are able to wear your ring uninterrupted once it arrives.
If you – like me – have never worn rings consistently, or you’re unsure after wearing the plastic ring from the sizing kit and it’s a bit uncomfortable, consider giving the original ring a try nevertheless. I got used to it pretty quickly and the insights I gain are definitely worth the adjustment period.
The plastic ring also generally feels a bit tighter than the final ring you will get. So you could say the real Oura ring runs on the big side compared to the one in the sizing kit.
How do you charge the Oura Ring?
And since we’re already talking about commonly asked questions: Another common question that comes up for new Oura users is regarding charging. Many wonder how do you charge the Oura Ring?
The Oura Ring comes with its own little charging pod and charges rather quickly. Fully charged you can use it continuously for 4-7 days. You will also get a warning is the ring is about to fun out of battery to make sure you capture all data and your Oura Ring doesn’t suddenly run out of battery over night. This is handy especially for those who often forget to charge their devices in time.
How long does it take to charge the Oura Ring?
Depending on its battery level, it can take 20-80 minutes to fully charge the Oura ring. If your ring needs to be charged – meaning it isn’t sufficiently charged to track your data throughout the night – you will get a notification on your phone alerting you and asking you to charge the ring before going to bed.
Oura Ring Airplane Mode
If you are looking to save battery or are travelling by plane, you can turn on Oura Ring Airplane Mode, which can be easily found in the Oura app. This is a handy feature, but please be aware after the ring has collected data for a while in airplane mode, it might take a little bit longer to synchronize afterwards, so you will need some patience.
Where to buy an Oura Ring
So You Wanna Buy an Oura Ring… Great! The Oura Ring is currently available on the company’s website. It comes in four different colors: Silver, Black, Stealth, and Gold. It is also available in two different styles: Horizon and Heritage. The Horizon model is a bit more expensive, that the Heritage model.
Oura recently also teamed up with Gucci to create a ring designed by a luxury brand. While the functionality is the same, the ring that was created as part of the collaboration has the signature “Gucci Look”. The Gucci x Oura Ring is more expensive than the regular models available on the Oura website.
Oura Ring at Best Buy
Up until recently the Oura Ring was a DTC (direct-to-consumer) product that was sold directly and exclusively by Oura. In April 2023 the company announced its first retail partnership with BestBuy. “Brick-and-mortar retail is a natural next step for ŌURA and marks a pivotal moment for the business as we continue to expand into the mainstream,” explained Tom Hale, Oura CEO at the time. “Introducing more people to the benefits of ŌURA’s technology and providing an impactful in-store and online experience with the help of Best Buy is an exciting step forward for us as a company.” I agree. A great first step. But what about Amazon
Oura Ring on Amazon
Yes, the Oura ring is now also available on Amazon. You can check out their dedicated store on Amazon here.
My Oura Ring Review: Is the Oura Ring 3 worth it
Overall I think the Oura Ring is definitely worth it if you are looking to learn more about your body and how your daily habits affect your well-being. I’ve been wearing it for a few months now and can tell a difference in my energy levels. It also really helped me understand how important sleep is and what I can do to improve my sleep quality every night.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is the Oura Ring made of?
The original Oura Ring is made from titanium, which means it is durable and well wearable.
Is the Oura Ring waterproof?
The Oura Ring is waterproof (water resistant up to 100m) and in addition to that lighter than a conventional ring, which makes it more convenient than many other wearables and tracking devices today.
Is the Oura Ring safe?
The Oura Ring is designed with user safety as a top priority, adhering to stringent quality standards and regulations. Made from hypoallergenic materials and featuring non-invasive sensors, the Oura Ring ensures comfort and safety during extended wear. Additionally, the Oura Ring undergoes rigorous testing to ensure data accuracy and user privacy, employing encryption and secure data transmission protocols. With a commitment to user well-being and data security, the Oura Ring provides peace of mind for those seeking reliable health tracking without compromising safety.
Is the Oura Ring recommended for women and females?
As mentioned I really enjoy using the Oura ring and can recommend it. I like the data on periods, my cycle and basal temperature and hope additional female-specific features (e.g. regarding fertility and ovulation) will be added in the future. From a design perspective I think the Horizon ring is more suited for women than the Heritage ring, but this is my personal taste. I own the Heritage ring myself, as I purchased my ring before the new design was released.
Does the Oura ring track basal temperature?
Indeed “Does the Oura Ring track basal temperature?” is a common query among health-conscious individuals exploring wearable technology. The Oura Ring stands out for its advanced health tracking capabilities, but does it include basal temperature monitoring? Basal temperature, a key metric for tracking fertility and overall health, is indeed a feature of the Oura Ring. You can also learn more about using the Oura Ring in connection with e.g. Natural Cycles for fertility monitoring and contraception in our article on the topic.
What is the best Oura Ring color?
I think the best Oura Ring color really depends on your taste. I got the silver ring. One of my friends has now purchased a stealth colored ring, and I must admit: I like it even better, as it is not as “shiny” as my ring. Women sometimes prefer gold or rose as well, if it goes well with the other jewellery they usually wear.
