I wasn’t a fitness-tracker person—until I tried the Oura Ring. I’d tested both a Fitbit and an Apple Watch, but I never liked the feeling of a bulky watch strapped to my wrist—especially one that buzzed with notifications. The Oura Ring, by contrast, looks like a simple metal wedding band yet quietly tracks a staggering range of health metrics. I’ve now worn my Oura Ring Gen 3 every day for over three years. Yes, it’s a a splurge—but good news: For the first time ever, there’s an Oura Ring Prime Day sale. Right now, find the newer Oura Gen 4 for 15% off.
How the Oura works
The Oura smart ring is a waterproof, wearable fitness tracker designed to be worn on your middle or pointer finger. It uses built-in sensors that monitor a variety of health metrics, including sleep, heart rate, temperature, and activity levels. Unlike a smartwatch, it doesn’t vibrate or demand your attention—it simply and silently collects data, which syncs to the Oura app on your phone via Bluetooth. Together, these stats offer a snapshot of how your body is functioning and recovering.
What the Oura tracks
The Gen 3 and Gen 4 Oura Rings track the same core metrics—the Gen 4 just offers a sleeker design, longer battery life, and (supposedly) improved sensor accuracy and overall functionality. While I can’t personally vouch for the Gen 4 yet, here’s a quick look at the data both versions collect.
The ring provides detailed insights into your sleep patterns (light, deep, REM) to help you gauge rest quality, along with resting heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV)—key markers of recovery and overall health. It also measures blood oxygen levels and picks up subtle shifts in body temperature and breathing rate during sleep, which can signal illness. During the day it counts steps, detects various activities, and estimates calories burned.
All this data feeds into a Readiness Score (most days, I fall within the 75 to 95 range) that reflects how ready your body is for the day. For women, it offers menstrual cycle tracking and syncs with popular period apps. It also estimates cardio fitness, which gives you a glimpse into your heart and lung endurance. Everything uploads to the Oura app, where it’s presented in a clear, digestible format.
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Original image of Malia Griggs wearing Oura Ring Gen 3 Heritage
My honest review
Pros
It’s attractive. When I first ordered the Oura Ring, I picked a gold finish from several color options (brushed silver, stealth, silver, brushed titanium, rose gold, and black are also available). The company sends a sizing kit first, and once you confirm your fit, it ships the ring. I wear mine on my middle finger, and it’s so comfortable and stylish that I rarely take it off. It blends seamlessly with my other jewelry, and people often compliment it—usually without realizing its hidden powers.
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