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Digital Trends
17 hours ago
- Health
- Digital Trends
Whoop 5.0 vs Oura Ring 4: which no-distraction wearable is best?
Over the past few weeks I've been wearing the Whoop 5.0 and the Oura Ring 4 to track my sleep and daily activity. Neither have screens, they don't deliver notifications from my phone, and there's no app support. The are both health trackers without the distractions that come with wearing one of the best smartwatches. If you're trying to choose which one to buy you'll likely want to know how similar they are, whether one will suit you better than the other, and which one does a better job keeping you informed and motivated? I found out. Recommended Videos Whoop 5.0 vs Oura Ring 4: specs and features Oura Ring 4 Whoop 5.0/Whoop MG Dimensions 7.9mm wide, 2.88mm thick smart ring 34 x 24 x 10mm fitness band Weight 3.3 grams to 5.5 grams 28 grams for Whoop MG with band Durability 100m water resistance, titanium ring IP68 Sensors Heart rate, blood oxygen, skin temperature, accelerometer Heart rate, blood oxygen, skin temperature, accelerometer, ECG (Whoop MG only), blood pressure monitoring (Whoop MG only) Battery life Five days 14 days Subscription Monthly Annually Price From $350 + $6 per month From $199 annually Whoop 5.0 vs Oura Ring 4: design The Whoop 5.0 is a fitness band you wear on your wrist, while the Oura Ring 4 is a smart ring for your finger. This obvious difference makes the Whoop 5.0 easier to buy, as there's no sizing required. It can sometimes be hard to get exactly the right fit with a smart ring, and those who've never worn a ring before may find it takes a while to get used to the feeling. However, once you're used to it, the Oura Ring 4 is unobtrusive and fuss-free. The Whoop 5.0 is light and the special material used for the bands is really soft and flexible, making it very comfortable for 24-hour wear. However, it's not attractive, and the design belongs in the gym, making it the less stylish choice between the two. It's far more noticeable on your wrist due to the size and thickness of the main module. There's no hiding the Whoop band, and most people will notice and usually question what it is. Each is water resistant (the Oura Ring to 100 meters, and the Whoop has an IP68 dust and water resistance rating), but the Whoop is definitely going to stay looking its best for longer. The Oura Ring's placement on your finger means it comes into contact with more surfaces, and it really does get scratched easily despite being made of titanium. The Whoop 5.0's band is easily washed or changed, and the module itself is always suitably protected underneath it. I personally prefer a smart ring over a wrist-worn tracker. It's completely incognito yet still looks great, and it's comfortable enough I forget I'm wearing it. The Whoop 5.0's band is annoying if it gets wet, and I don't really like the way it looks on my wrist. However, this is my own preference, and you may feel differently. The good news is, both are well made and should prove durable long-term. Whoop 5.0 vs Oura Ring 4: app and connectivity I've used the Oura Ring 4 and Whoop 5.0 connected to an Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, but the app is available for Android too. Both apps have been completely reliable and take seconds to connect when syncing. The design of each gives some quick insight into who both wearables are aimed at. The Oura Ring 4's app is softer, friendlier, and less number-focused, while the Whoop's app is filled with information and more reliant on graphs and data. I love the Oura Ring 4's app. It's so well designed, surfacing key metrics so they're available at a glance, and uses colors to great effect when highlighting outliers in your data. The circles at the top of the screen can be tapped to show more information, but you don't really need to explore if you just want the basics, as your Readiness, Sleep, and Activity scores are easy to interpret. The Whoop app is very different. It's more information dense, and fills the main page with buttons and options, making it feel overwhelming at first. The problem is, when you dig into many of the options you notice a lot of repeated data. Both apps have an AI assistant, but Whoop's does provide a more useful summary, plus it brings it to the forefront more than the Oura app. There's also a lot more learning to do in the Whoop app, as interpreting its many graphs takes time. The Oura Ring 4's app suits the product really well, as it promotes a healthier lifestyle rather than pushing you to get out and exercise. You can hide the daily calorie count, if this is something you'd rather avoid, and quickly see how your stats have changed over time, all in a very friendly way. The Whoop app is less about lifestyle, and more about a deeper understanding of your performance. Its long-term data is dense but informative, and more likely to promote change than the Oura's app. Neither are medical devices so advice is quite general, but you'll get more from the Whoop if you're specifically looking for motivation. Whoop 5.0 vs Oura Ring 4: health tracking Lets start with sleep tracking. The Oura Ring gives you a Sleep Score, while the Whoop app assigns a percentage to your sleep. Both are equally informative and easy to understand. It's much harder to find sleep details in the Whoop app than it is in the Oura app, which clearly provides your heart rate variability, resting heart rate, and blood oxygen levels. The Whoop app avoids these, concentrating on your consistency, efficiency, and sleep stress. The Oura Ring is far better at automatically recognizing workouts. It fully tracked a 40-minute walk, while the Whoop only captured 23 minutes of the same activity. It's likely to do with heart rate tracking, but both always return basically the same heart rate readings. Both show accurate maps when you track with GPS too. The major difference between the two is the massive amount of live activities able to be tracked by the Whoop. Oura has improved this area recently, but it's still not as comprehensive as the Whoop app. There's a Strength Trainer feature in the Whoop app some may enjoy, which opens up a variety of strength workouts. These are partially guided, but it's a complicated process to see examples of each exercise while you're trying to do them. The Oura app has guided breath work and relaxation techniques. After living with the two wearables, it's clear the Whoop is the better choice if you're really into fitness. From the sheer depth of data available and the way it's presented in graphs, to the option to choose a workout that will boost your Strain or Recovery, it has everything you need to hold yourself accountable and take on quality activities that suit your needs. Tracking exercise on the Oura Ring is acceptable, but it shouldn't be your main motivation in buying the smart ring. I haven't noticed any dramatic accuracy differences between the two, and felt each gave me a solid overview of my health and activity. Whoop 5.0 vs Oura Ring 4: special features The Whoop 5.0 is packed with special features, while the Oura Ring relies on some key partnerships to provide extra value to wearers. I really like the Whoop's Healthspan and Pace of Aging feature, which is packed full of actionable data which (hopefully) should make a difference to your overall health over time. Oura is softer in its approach, showing a metric it calls Resilience along with your Cardiovascular Age as guidance on your physical well-being. The difference is, Oura's data is less informative, and it's harder to know where you should make changes. It's very obvious in Whoop's Healthspan feature, where you can identify whether you need to strength train more or sleep better for example. It's representative of the difference between Oura and Whoop in general, and understanding this will help you make an informed buying decision. Provided you pay for one of Whoop's higher tier subscriptions you'll get the Whoop MG and access to an electrocardiogram (ECG) feature, irregular heart rate alerts, and blood pressure monitoring. The Oura Ring does not have these features (mostly due to restrictions in the hardware), but it does include integrations with a wide variety of apps, including Natural Cycles, Clue, Headspace, Zero, and Strava. I also like Oura's Symptom Radar, which uses key data points to warn you if your body is working harder than usual, which may indicate an underlying condition such as sickness or stress. It's surprisingly effective. There's also a Rest Mode, where tracking continues but the Ring doesn't set and measure targets. Whoop 5.0 vs Oura Ring 4: subscription cost comparison Whoop's overhauled subscription plans can make the Whoop appear quite good value, but when you closely examine what you get for your money, the base price plan is very limited. The Oura Ring has one subscription plan and you get everything, plus if you stop paying you can still see your basic Readiness, Sleep, and Activity scores. If you stop paying for Whoop, you won't see any data at all. We covered the features available in the different Whoop subscription plans in our review, but if you want the Healthplan and Pace of Aging you have to select Whoop Peak, and if you want the ECG and blood pressure, you have to select Whoop Life. The basic Whoop One plan is just basic health, sleep, and activity tracking. There's less to think about with the Oura Ring, as there's just one price. Oura Ring 4 Whoop 5.0 One Whoop Peak Whoop MG Life Hardware cost From $349 N/A N/A N/A One year subscription (total) $72 $199 $239 $359 Two year subscription (total) $144 $299 $399 $599 Whoop 5.0 vs Oura Ring 4: which one should you buy? Unlike choosing between some of the best smartphones, it's a surprisingly easy to choose between the Whoop 5.0 and the Oura Ring 4. If you're really into sport and fitness, the Whoop 5.0 will be the better choice, while if you're less focused on tracking hardcore activities and value good, clear design and stylish hardware, the Oura Ring 4 will be for you. Both meet battery life estimates provided by the manufacturer, with the Oura Ring 4 lasting around five days on a single charge, and the Whoop 5.0's battery lasting for 14 days. It's great to see how little difference there was between the two when examining the data, meaning you don't have to choose one because it appears more accurate than the other. However, if you want all the data, the Whoop's app is where you need to go, especially due to the multiple graphs and ways it presents everything for you. If you want to glance at the app and get just the information you need, the Oura Ring's app is superior to the Whoop app. I've enjoyed wearing the Whoop 5.0 more than I expected, mostly because the app has been reworked enough to appeal to more people, and the depth of data is interesting and useful. The Oura Ring 4's more lifestyle-orientated app suits me better though, and I far prefer wearing a smart ring than a fitness band. In a way, as we come to the end, this is best outcome for any comparison. Both products are great, and provided you know what you want from your new wearable and understand the differences, one is almost certainly going to speak to you more than the other. You're going to be pleased whichever you choose.
CNA
3 days ago
- Health
- CNA
Should you sleep on the plane or stay awake – and 7 other questions about jet lag
You love to travel but jet lag? Not so much. It's a little difficult to get excited about exploring a holiday destination when you're groggy and grumpy. And it's not only from messing up your circadian sleep rhythm in the new time zone; your usual sleep duration may be cut short from having to wake up at 5am to catch an early flight. Or you just can't sleep on the plane – even when armed to the teeth with a travel pillow, noise-cancelling headphones and melatonin pills. It's a phenomenon that researchers are hoping to shed light on via the data captured by wearable sleep trackers – the most comprehensive being the 2025 collaborative study by the Centre for Sleep and Cognition at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Oura. Published in the journal Sleep in March this year, the study analysed 60,000 trips and 1.5 million nights of de-identified data from the Oura Ring to provide the first large-scale, real-world study of jet lag recovery to date. WHAT ARE THE FINDINGS? You might have already experienced some of the findings, such as night flights (there's a reason for calling them 'red eye' flights) tend to be more disruptive than day ones. Or that you often need more recovery sleep the next night after flying from pm to am. And there's nothing like the dreaded eastward travel and the crossing of multiple time zones to really shake things up. In fact, jet lag is more severe for shorter, eastward trips of up to over three time zones. Not that you'll do better with longer journeys, regardless of direction; the study found that sleep occurs 60 to 70 minutes earlier or later than usual. When it comes to sleep recovery, the study found that in some cases, restoring normal sleep timing and structure (for example, the tendency to wake up in the middle of the night) can take more than a week. The good news is, sleep duration typically returns to baseline within approximately two days. However, changes in sleep timing and structure can take more than a week to abate. Gender didn't play a significant role in travel-related sleep disruption, according to the findings. The study's lead researcher, Dr Adrian Willoughby, a senior research fellow at NUS Medicine, has two explanations. "First, the effect of transmeridian travel, especially over longer distances, is likely much stronger than the hormonal influences on sleep in women," he said. "And second, both men and women are subject to the same circadian pressures when travelling, so it is not surprising they are affected in similar ways." If you're thinking older travellers might have it rougher, think again. The analysis found that they actually don't suffer as much from jet lag as younger travellers – albeit slightly. For instance, a 20-year-old may experience a 15-minute greater reduction in sleep compared to a 60-year-old over the initial post-travel days. "Older people generally sleep less than younger people, so while the overall impact of travel-related sleep disruption may be similar, the absolute reduction in sleep duration is smaller for older people because they are already sleeping less," explained Dr Willoughby. One finding that didn't quite apply to Singapore is the impact of pre-travel sleep disruption. "Because Singapore is small and has efficient transportation, getting to the airport is generally quick and easy. As a result, Singaporeans may experience less pre-travel disruption," said Dr Willoughby. HOW CAN YOU MINIMISE JET LAG? Wouldn't it be great to arrive at your destination feeling as energised as a Red Bull-fuelled teen? The science hasn't caught up on that yet but there might be ways to minimise the effects of jet lag by understanding what causes it. Here's a look at some common queries: 1. DOES FLYING MORE MAKE YOU LESS LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE JET LAG? No, said Adjunct Assistant Professor Sridhar Venkateswaran, a senior consultant with Ng Teng Fong General Hospital's Respiratory Medicine department. 'Depending on how many time zones the person crosses when flying, it could potentially be worse.' Like what the study found, Adj Asst Prof Sridhar also said that the biggest effect on jet lag is the number of time zones crossed as well as the direction of travel. Other minor factors include age and sleep habits, he added. 2. WHY DOES FLYING EASTWARD PRODUCE MORE SEVERE JET LAG? Let's visit this thing you might have already heard of called the circadian rhythm. Within the brain's hypothalamus is the suprachiasmatic nucleus or SCN. This is your body's 'master clock' that controls your circadian rhythm, meaning it decides functions such as the time you wake up or get hungry, according to Healthline. The SCN is driven by light, so when your eyes see sunshine, for example, the SCN 'activates certain hormones, alters your body temperature, and regulates your metabolism to keep you alert or draw you to sleep', according to Healthline. 'All of us have this internal body clock, which roughly corresponds to the outside 24-hour clock,' explained Adj Asst Prof Sridhar. 'Jet lag is due to a misalignment between our internal clock and the outside clock.' When you travel eastwards, you have to advance your bedtime to align yourself with the destination sleeping time, said Adj Asst Prof Sridhar. The opposite happens when you travel westward, meaning you have to delay your bedtime. 'In general, it is easier to delay your bedtime compared to advancing your bedtime," he said. Another reason is that staying awake is more under voluntary control than falling asleep, said Dr Willoughby. "We can force ourselves to stay awake more easily and effectively than we force ourselves to fall sleep." In addition, travelling westwards or 'back in time' allows you to experience a longer day and more exposure to light, which can further delay your body clock, added Dr Willoughby. 3. CAN JET LAG CREATE LONG-TERM IMPACT ON YOU? For people who often make long-distance flights, such as business travellers, pilots and flight attendants, jet lag can become a chronic problem. And it's not just insomnia. A chronically out-of-sync circadian rhythm may increase the risk of disorders such as diabetes and depression as well as some types of cancer, according to the US-based Sleep Foundation. The long-term impact may even range from memory to cognitive problems, menstrual cycle abnormalities in women, headaches and gastrointestinal symptoms, said Adj Asst Prof Sridhar. 4. WHAT'S A GOOD DEPARTURE TIME RANGE TO PICK AND WHY? 'The ideal departure time would be that of the destination's daytime,' said Adj Asst Prof Sridhar. 'If possible, try and sleep on the flight during the destination's night-time.' Dr Willoughby suggested choosing a departure time that does not require you to wake up much earlier than you normally would. "Being well organised for your trip can also help prevent staying up late the night before. This needs to be balanced with the other practical considerations such as flight schedules, cost and demands at the destination." 5. HOW CAN YOU PREP FOR AN EASTWARD FLIGHT BEFORE BOARDING? A few days before flying, adjust your bedtime and wake up closer to the destination's time zone, advised Adj Asst Prof Sridhar. You can do so by going to bed 30 minutes earlier each night, recommended Mount Elizabeth Hospital. If you're travelling westward, do the opposite and delay your bedtime by half an hour. You can also try moving your mealtimes closer to the time you'll be taking them at your destination, recommended Mount Elizabeth Hospital. 'Limiting caffeine and alcohol, and taking supplemental melatonin may help,' said Adj Asst Prof Sridhar. To help you calculate how much to shift your body clock, try jet lag calculators such as this. 6. SHOULD YOU SLEEP OR WATCH MOVIES ON THE PLANE? Adjust your watch the moment you board, recommended Mount Elizabeth Hospital. This helps your mind adapt to the time change. Next, do what's best for your destination. If it's noon where you're heading, it might be wise to stay up. But if you're flying into the night, you might want to hunker down and try to sleep – even though it's bright as anything outside the plane's window. Limit your light exposure with a sleeping mask and hoodie to sync your circadian rhythm. 7. WHAT SHOULD YOU DO DURING A LAYOVER? It all depends on the duration of the layover, said Adj Asst Prof Sridhar. 'If it is a long layover and it corresponds to the final destination's night-time, it might be a good idea to check into the transit hotel to try and sleep.' 8. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO BETTER SYNC WITH THE DESTINATION'S TIME? If you arrive in the day, it is recommended that you stay up, despite feeling sleepy. And avoid naps, too. 'The best way to avoid sleeping is to expose yourself to sunlight and remain outdoors as much as possible,' said Adj Asst Prof Sridhar. 'Do activities until it is close to the bedtime of the destination. I would not recommend caffeine as it might interfere with the night sleep even if taken early,' he said. But if you must nap, take one that is shorter than 30 minutes and, if possible, eight or more hours before the desired bedtime, suggested Johns Hopkins University. Generally, it takes about a day to recover for each time zone crossed, said Adj Asst Prof Sridhar. On the whole, most people take about three to five days to recover from jet lag. 'To recover, the same rules, such as aligning yourself to the sleep-wake cycle of your current environment, apply.' That also means getting sunlight during the day and avoiding artificial light at night. 'Good hydration, nutrition and melatonin may help,' he added.
Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Health
- Tom's Guide
I'm a sleep tech writer — my 5 top picks from the final Memorial Day sales
As a sleep tech writer, I've tried my fair share of sleep gadgets over the last nine months — from sleep headbands to the best sunrise alarm clocks and sleep trackers, each of which can elevate your nighttime routine in its own way. One of this year's best mattresses for your sleep style and body type should be your first investment for better sleep, but there's also plenty of sleep tech tackling specific sleep needs, be that blocking out light pollution, tracking your overnight heart rate or being soothed to sleep by sound. The Memorial Day sleep sales are wrapping up, but there's still time to grab some lingering deals, like 38% off the Musicozy sleep headband at Amazon and $100 off the Oura Ring sleep tracker. Here's are the sleep Oura Ring Generation 3: was from $299 now from $199 at OuraSleek and reliable, the Oura Ring Gen 3 is currently my favorite sleep tracker. Although it's not the latest model from Oura it does everything you'd want a sleep tracker to do — it measures sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep stages to collate a nightly sleep score and daily energy 'readiness' rating — all while sitting comfortably on your finger. As Oura are trying to shift their Oura Ring 3 stock (I spy an upgrade on the horizon), they have knocked $100 off select colors and designs. This means you can bag a silver or black heritage design Oura Ring 3 for just $199 now. That beats the Black Friday price by $150, but you must grab it while stocks last. Apple Watch Series 10: was $399 now $299 at WalmartThe Apple Watch 10 is another leading, reliable sleep tracker that can help you keep tabs on your sleep metrics and day to day health. Impressively, the Apple Watch 10 also has an FDA-authorized sleep apnea detection feature alongside similar sleep tracking metrics, helping you get a handle on your sleep issues. This is the thinnest and lightest Apple watch yet. Our reviewer says: "It's the best smartwatch I've ever strapped to my wrist in terms of comfort," which is great news when you have to wear it overnight. There's up to $100 off select colors at Walmart now, reducing the Apple Watch 10 to $299 from $399. Musicozy Sleep Headband: was $25.99 now $15.99 at AmazonThe Musicozy sleep headband is a two-in-one sleep gadget. It has built-in headphones through which you can play relaxing sleep sounds and it sits comfortably over your eyes, acting as a light-blocking sleep mask. It is made from a soft velvet, stretchy cotton that fits around your head and covers your eyes, with extra cushioning to enhance comfort no matter your sleep position. Amazon are knocking 38% off the Musicozy headband in a limited time deal bringing this budget sleep gadget to just $15.99 (was $25.99). The Smart Cooling Mattress Topper: was from $1,399 now from $1,099 at Perfectly SnugLike the best smart beds and mattress covers you can buy right now, this smart mattress topper adds an active temperature-regulating layer to your mattress to help you beat the night sweats and sleep peacefully. This in-bed cooling system actively delivers cool air beneath you while you sleep to keep your body temperature down at the best temperature for sleeping. You can current;y save $300 with the code MEMORIAL25. At $1,599 for a queen size after this discount, it is the most expensive gadget here. But it is still much cheaper than other climate control mattress covers like the Eight Sleep Pod 4 at $2,649. Flikeze PhotonMask Quint: was $459 now $239.99 at FlikezePrimarily a beauty product, but surprisingly a sleep-enhancing product, an LED red-light face mask is a great addition to your bedtime routine. The red light helps you relax and feel sleepy by promoting melatonin production, ultimately prompting quicker sleep onset so you don't spend crucial sleep time tossing and turning. I tested the Flikeze LED mask to see how it could help me sleep back in January and it still remains a staple in my nighttime wind-down routine. You can save $219 on this LED face mask now cutting the price to $239.99, which is a great deal on a gadget that can improve your skin health and sleep.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
The Oura ring is my favorite fitness tracker and it has a rare $100 saving
As a fitness editor, I've tried pretty much every wearable out there. From the all-new Whoop 5 to the Apple Watch, I love a fitness tracker and I've tested them all. They range in price and what they offer in terms of features and of course, some are more impressive than others. However, there's one device I've personally been wearing solidly for years — the Oura ring (was $299, now $199, My Oura ring has never let me down. I use it to track my sleep, energy levels, menstrual cycle, and recovery and this tiny, chic device has helped me take my health and wellbeing to new heights. The only drawback with the Oura ring is that for some, this smart ring can be expensive. But, that's no longer an issue as the Oura ring gen 3 now has a saving of $100. The Oura ring 4 ($349, was voted the best smart ring on the market by senior tech writer Alex Lee and despite Samsung recently launching its Galaxy ring, Oura remains a firm favorite for fans of wearables, myself included. I love how the gold finish matches the rest of my jewelry and how lightweight, well-fitting, and easy to wear it is. Of course, you can also get the Oura in silver and cool, minimalist black as well as rose gold. The ring uses sensors inside the band to track variables that feedback information on your sleep quality, heart rate, and a raft of other health markers. To benefit from the discount and learn why I think you should invest, keep scrolling. If you're shopping for a tracker that simply measures fitness levels, there are plenty to choose from, but what makes the Oura ring special is that it offers much more. Not only is it small, lightweight, and easy to wear, it offers a range of insights that other trackers don't. My favorite features are the daily tags you can add to your activity log and the cycle calendar — which helps track your mood, sleep, and energy levels and predict the coming phases of your cycle. I've also found that I've been able to improve my sleep quality using the Oura ring — the sensors track your heart rate variability to track how long you spend in each phase of light, deep, and REM sleep, and by checking this and adapting the environment in my bedroom, taking my supplements at different times and going to bed earlier, I've been able to improve my overall sleep scores and rest better thanks to the ring. While the ring and subscription to the app aren't exactly cheap, this has been one of the most worthwhile investments I've made for my health. The deal on the third-generation Oura ring is impressively low and this is likely because Oura recently launched the ring 4. So, should you buy the newer model over the less expensive ring 3 that's on sale right now? Well, this all depends on what you're looking for in a smart ring. Both the Oura ring 3 and 4 are titanium-based, but the inside of the newer version is now wrapped in high-grade metal instead of the plastic used on the gen 3. The Oura ring 4 is also lighter, at 3.3-5.2g (depending on size), compared with 4-6g. While both versions of the ring promise to deliver similar metrics and insights, the ring 4 features an improved sensor platform that sits flusher with the ring, and it has an improved battery life, which is up to eight days, compared with the ring 3's seven days. In his review of the latest Oura ring, tech expert Alex said: 'The main benefit that the Oura ring 4 provides, compared with the gen 3, is improved durability, comfort and accuracy. This isn't a generational upgrade over the Oura ring 3, merely strengthening its position as the best smart ring out there for sleep tracking and recovery.'
NZ Herald
5 days ago
- Health
- NZ Herald
Is all of this self-monitoring making us paranoid?
As wearable technology, like the Oura Ring, becomes more ubiquitous, some users say having so much data about their bodies is making them more anxious. Sarah Hills was worried about her heart. Her Oura Ring, a wearable device that tracks users' biometric data, including body temperature, heart rate and blood
