Oura is making significant strides in enhancing health tracking capabilities on its smart rings. The upcoming models of the Oura Ring are set to feature a new cumulative stress monitoring tool alongside a blood pressure estimation function. With this update, Oura aims to elevate its ring beyond a mere sleep tracker, envisioning it as a comprehensive health companion.
Oura Ring to Get Cumulative Stress and Blood Pressure Monitoring
Historically, the Oura Ring’s functionalities have primarily focused on basic health tracking elements like sleep quality and heart rate monitoring. However, the impending update introduces an advanced cumulative stress monitoring capability. This feature will analyze long-term data patterns to provide insights into how chronic stress impacts both the body and the mind.
According to Oura, this innovative tool integrates various physiological metrics—including heart rate variability, body temperature changes, and sleep trends—with validated self-report questionnaires, such as the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory. By synthesizing these datasets, the smart ring aims to paint a comprehensive picture of how stress accumulates over extended periods (spanning weeks and months).
The forthcoming feature will underscore what Oura describes as the “hidden impact” of unmanaged stress. It specifically targets the kind of stress that may not manifest overtly in daily moods and emotions, yet can exert profound effects on overall health in the long term.
Exploring Blood Pressure Estimation
In addition to stress monitoring, Oura is launching a new study titled “The Blood Pressure Profile” to investigate how its wearables might detect health risks related to blood pressure metrics. It’s important to note that smart rings, including the Oura Ring, currently can’t measure blood pressure directly. Instead, Oura plans to estimate it through a combination of user data, lifestyle surveys, and relevant family health information.
Participants from Oura Lab will soon receive invitations to join this Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved study. While the research may take some time to yield results, the goal is to empower users with early warnings regarding potential increases in blood pressure. This proactive approach aims to facilitate lifestyle changes before such increases develop into notable health risks, making the feature as revolutionary as it sounds.
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