Is the Oura Ring Worth It? An In-Depth Look at its Sleep and Fitness Tracking Capabilities
I started using an Oura Ring about 3 years ago and upgraded to the Generation 3 model about 4 months ago. The Oura Ring is a sleek piece of tech that fits right onto your finger. But, with its price tag and the market filled with options, you might wonder, “Is the Oura Ring worth it?” I am not going to bury the lead here and tell you my opinion.
Absolutely, the Oura Ring is worth it. It offers consistent sleep tracking, comprehensive wellness insights, and a comfortable, aesthetic design. Despite being pricier than other trackers, its detailed health data justifies the investment for those prioritizing sleep and overall well-being.
Certainly, there are other trackers that will become very competent at sleep tracking, but the Oura Ring helped me truly understand how important it was to go do the following:
- Go to sleep at the same time each night.
- Prove to me without a doubt how much alcohol consumption within about 3 or 4 hours of going to bed wreaks havoc on my sleep.
- Gamify the sleep experience so I want to “beat” the ring and behave in a way to get the best sleep score possible.
Just these items alone have been well worth the cost. Now, if another solution comes along at a much lower price point or with a less intrusive device then I will reevaluate. I am experimenting with the Whoop band right now.
Understanding the Oura Ring
The Oura Ring made its debut in 2013, impressing users with its promise to monitor various aspects of health and wellness. But what does it offer exactly? The Oura Ring’s key feature initially was sleep tracking. However, with the release of Generation 3 fitness tracking, heart rate monitoring, and body temperature measurement have become more than adequate as well. The cost varies depending on the model, but you can expect to pay between $299 and $399. They now also assess a 5.99 monthly for you to “continue getting the most out of your Oura Ring” after your first-month trial expires. You can find the details of what you still get without the membership on the Oura site.
Quality of Sleep Tracking
Oura Ring was the first device that I used that did detailed sleep tracking. It goes beyond simply monitoring when you sleep and wake up. The Oura Ring tracks your sleep stages (REM, deep, light, and awake time), movement, heart rate, and heart rate variability (HRV).
In terms of accuracy, the Oura Ring has been found to be highly reliable. A study by SleepScore Labs demonstrated that the Oura Ring’s sleep staging was 73% in agreement with polysomnography (PSG), the gold standard of sleep studies. This surpasses many wrist-worn trackers. They recently changed the sleep tracking algorithm and I no longer get what I call the “Cinco” (5 hours total of Deep and REM sleep). I am going to assume that it is more accurate and I was getting too much credit. Rationally, I understand that, but it is a blow to my sleep ego after thinking I was getting Olympic athlete-level sleep scores compared to the general sleep averages. In particular, my deep sleep number lowered consistently after the change.
| Feature | Oura Ring | Average Wrist Tracker |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep Stages Tracking | ✔ | ✔ |
| Movement Tracking | ✔ | ✔ |
| Heart Rate Monitoring | ✔ | ✔ |
| HRV Monitoring | ✔ | ✖ |
Effectiveness of Fitness Tracking
In terms of fitness tracking, the Oura Ring offers daily readiness scores based on HRV, resting heart rate, and sleep data. It also provides activity tracking, including steps and calories burned. However, unlike some other trackers, it only tracks specific workouts and real-time data during exercise when you tell it to start tracking. With Gen 3 I do feel that it more accurately credits you’re active calorie count.
| Feature | Oura Ring | Average Fitness Tracker |
|---|---|---|
| Steps Tracking | ✔ | ✔ |
| Calories Burned | ✔ | ✔ |
| Workout Tracking | ✔ | ✔ |
| Real-time Data During Exercise | ✔ | ✔ |
User Experience and Comfort
The Oura Ring has a basic design. It looks like a simple men’s wedding band that is available in a few colors. They do have a Gucci-branded ring if you want to go high-end. It is surprisingly unobtrusive and can pass as a piece of jewelry. Plus, it’s waterproof, and the battery life lasts for about a week, which is more than can be said for many fitness trackers. The caveat, as the ring ages the battery life will start to deteriorate. I replaced mine after 2 years and had to charge it about every 2 days at the end.
The accompanying app is well-designed and provides comprehensive data that are easy to interpret. It displays the primary Readiness and Sleep scores large enough to easily be read. I also like how it displays the sleep stages so you can eahttps://ouraring.com/product/ringssily see at what point in the night you were in what stage. It offers tips based on your data to help improve sleep and fitness performance.
The Value Proposition
When it comes to cost-benefit analysis, the Oura Ring is not the cheapest wearable out there. But its high accuracy in sleep tracking, comfortable design, long battery life, and detailed health data might make it worth the investment for some people.
Compared to other trackers in the same price range, the Oura Ring offers superior sleep tracking, making it a great choice for those who prioritize this aspect of health.
Pros and Cons of the Oura Ring
Before making a purchase decision, it’s essential to consider the pros and cons.
Pros:
- Accurate sleep tracking
- Comfortable and stylish design
- Long battery life
- Detailed health insights
Cons:
- Does not provide real-time exercise data
- High cost compared to other trackers
- Limited activity tracking
Is The Oura Ring Worth It Conclusion
So, is the Oura Ring worth it? It seems that if you’re after detailed sleep data, appreciate a minimalist design, and value health insights over detailed workout tracking, it could very well be worth the investment. However, if you’re a fitness enthusiast seeking real-time workout stats, you might want to look at other options. Remember, everyone is unique, and the best way to find out if a product works for you is to try it out. So, why not give the Oura Ring a go and see how it fits into your lifestyle?
Troy Wallace
Troy Wallace is Certified Basketball Speed Specialist and shares his experiences in trying to stay as healthy as possible to stay on the court. He is active in coaching youth basketball in YMCA, Team Work Sports Nebraska, and, currently, in the Jr. Warriors program in Omaha, NE. Visit Troy's Full Author Bio Page or email him directly.
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