There are many things that I love about the Oura ring, and I get into those details in this vlog.
Our ring assesses your readiness score and your sleep score. The readiness score is based on your previous nights' sleep scores as well as recovery time after intense activity.
I have found that I get a good readiness score when I
- go to bed in my “sleep window” which is data provided by Oura as the time your body naturally gets tired and wants to go to bed
- eat at least three hours before bedtime
- windown with meditation or breathing exercises
- turn lights off / only have low (anti-blue) light intake for one-two hours leading up to bed
- cut off caffeine early (I stopped drinking caffeine months ago) my cut off for decaf coffee is 4 pm
- hit my activity goal for the day (Oura gives you a daily activity goal)
- got some LISS in (light/moderate walking for 30 min to 1 hour)
- a workout of varying difficulty
I get a bad readiness score when:
- I ignore any of the above points
- overdo it on exercise
I'm going to talk about the overdoing it on exercise bit. Three months ago when I wanted to ramp up my workout routine and build more strength I started working out for an hour each day. For the first week or two Oura “got mad at me” – I like to joke with Greg that I ring is almost like a drill sergeant who's mission is to whip you into shape :) Talk about anthropomorphizing, amirite? It “got mad at me” because I was blatantly ignoring my low reading score and proceeded to do rigorous and lengthy workouts. So for a week or so, Oura kept docking my readiness score, claiming that I wasn't giving my body ample rest and recovery time.
And normally, I'd listen to my Oura ring. If it tells me my score is low, I'd do light activity…
but then I wouldn't see and feel the results I was seeking…
because I wasn't giving myself a chance to push myself…
to MAX OUT.
So after a few weeks of that do-see-do, I took the reins and decided to lightly “ignore” the low readiness score, and continue my new one hour of rigorous working out, barring that I didn't feel terribly unwell or underslept that day – yeah, I still listen(ed) to my body, of course!
Then I filled Greg in on my little plan that I devised and he LOVED it. So he jumped on the boat, too.
For one to three weeks (I honestly don't remember how long it took) Oura was displeased with us, because we were defying her and ignoring her advice. But guess what happened?
We re-calibrated the ring to …. by feeding it new data.
Now, because we've trained our bodies, the oura ring expects us to workout the way we do.
TBH, it'd probably get mad at us if we don't workout for an hour each day (with one active rest day built it).
We wanted to build strength and amp up our routines, so we did. And now we and Oura are happy.
So, if you want to build strength and push yourself a little more then expect there to be a ramp up time.
Ramp up time for amping up :)
Ultimately you want to use the Oura ring metrics to guide while also listening to your body. Because only you know how you feel. So don't overlook that.
If you are someone who will use those metrics and data to guide you and make the necessary changes then this ring is something you'd benefit greatly from. The metrics are not dogma. Listen to your body. And follow your goals.
As with the example I shared with you, sometimes you need to push yourself out of your comfort zone to build strength and improve your fitness level. So if you notice a lower-than-normal readiness score (but had great sleep, have been eating properly, and have been treating your body well) and you feel energized and strong, then why not do your workout?
So it's about striking a balance between how you feel and the data your ring provides.
Also, keep in mind that this is relatively new technology - wearable technology - and fitness trackers have been on the market for only a few years. So, it's not perfect…yet(!) But that doesn't mean it's not still helpful and still adding value to my life.
Here are some of the other ways the Oura ring has improved my health and happiness:
- Helps me be Consistent (about sleep and movement)
- Lets You Know When to Rest
- Creates Systems for You
- Compete with Yourself (Health Goals)
- Focus Mind + Body Combo
Thanks for reading and I hope you take some time today for self-care, however that looks to you!
🌟 Sparkle strong,
Mary Daphne
Thank you for reading!!
