First, a little background: Oura is a smart ring, an emerging category but one Oura is top of. For now, at least. It's lined with sensors, which measure biometric data 24 hours a day, and uses it to help you strike the right balance of rest and activity. The fact that it’s a ring means you have to rely on its well-designed smartphone app when you want to check your stats, but also means that heart rate data is more accurate, as the blood vessels in your fingers are much closer to the surface than those in your wrist.
The latest Oura, released back in 2021, has a brand new optical heart rate sensor that now tracks data 24 hours a day meaning you can spot-check your pulse any time, and easily review changes over time. It also means the app has much more data to draw on when assessing your activity and recovery habits, making its guidance much more accurate and useful. It's our top choice for best sleep tracker, at least while we wait to see if the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy Ring can knock it off its perch, or perhaps an unannounced Oura Ring 4.
There’s a new SpO2 sensor, as well, which also benefits from being on your finger rather than your wrist, plus seven temperature sensors to track changes in skin temperature.
The Oura app collects and analyzes all this data, but never gives you figures without context. No matter how far you drill down through the graphs and charts, there’s always a detailed explanation of how it was calculated, what it means, and what action you can take to improve your rest/activity balance. Your heart rate variability is lower than usual, which means you may be stressed – perhaps consider a relaxation session. You got to bed on time, but had less REM sleep than you should – consider cutting back on the caffeine.