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I used to get sick after every trip. Sleeping in different beds, jet lag, eating rich food — my body would inevitably revolt by the time I got back.
I figured that was just the cost of traveling, but then I bought an Oura Ring with an Amex credit I almost forgot I had, and the pattern broke.
The Oura Ring is a wearable tracking device that measures health and wellness across 50+ categories including stress levels, activity levels, sleep, heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, women’s cycle, and more.
I’ll be honest, the chunky design doesn’t really match my style, but two things happened that encouraged me to purchase it. The first one was that my fitness watch was starting to bother me, feeling itchy and heavy on my more sensitive wrist. I considered another watch option, but the Oura Ring felt less bulky compared to a watch.
The ring’s $349+ price tag felt prohibitive, but the Amex Platinum offers a $200 Oura statement credit. I combined that with a sale the brand was running to purchase a $349 ring for just $66 out of pocket after the discounts and statement credit.
Each day, the Oura Ring tells me my Readiness Score, a number from 1-100 that’s based on all the metrics it tracks. It flags elevated resting heart rate and body temperature before I feel symptoms, so it tends to know I'm about to get sick before I do. It also tells me when my body is in especially good form and I can take on more activity.
It’s incredibly easy to wear and use. I only charge my ring once a week, and now that I’ve gotten used to sleeping with it on, I don’t even notice it’s there.
While the Oura Ring is useful in my daily life, I find it even more useful as a companion during my travels.
I never thought anything could help me combat jet lag — I’ve tried everything to make it easier on my body, but I still suffer. The Oura Ring, though, ensures I am fully ready to take on a big trip, thanks to a feature I love: the sleep debt indicator, which shows me exactly how much “debt” I’ve accrued by not sleeping.
I do my very best to ensure my sleep debt is at zero before I travel, even for a shorter or domestic trip. This way, if red-eye flights, jet lag, or just being off my routine and schedule cause me to miss sleep, at least I’m starting off as prepared as possible.
Based on my activity levels (the ring recognizes walking and many other kinds of movement), it’s a lot easier to decide whether I should bother hitting the hotel gym or if my day spent walking around a new city or swimming in the ocean will suffice.
I can recognize the signs that my body isn’t at peak functionality, but it’s one thing to notice them and another thing to actually listen to those signs and slow things down. But if my Readiness Score is low or I’m showing signs of strain in my Oura app, I’m much more likely to pay attention and adjust my plans to get a little more rest.
I’ve gotten sick fewer times upon returning from a trip thanks to wearing my Oura Ring. It’s clearly forcing me to take the signs that my health is teetering on the edge seriously.
I always knew that a glass or two of wine disrupted my sleep, but to my dismay, the ring knows too. If I overindulge, even slightly (and, let’s be honest, many of us do this on vacation), I’ll get a “Your body temperature was higher last night. Did you eat late at night or drink alcohol?” I can’t hide anything from my Oura Ring.
1. Use the Amex Platinum credit. The most important way to save on getting the Oura Ring is to use the $200 statement credit on the Amex Platinum card. You'll need to enroll in the benefit through your Amex account first, and the purchase has to be made directly at Ouraring.com — buying through Amazon or another retailer won't trigger the credit. Statement credits can take up to eight weeks to post.
2. Plan for a monthly fee. Full access to the Oura app costs $5.99 per month. If you’re on the fence, you can try the first month for free. The subscription fee is HSA/FSA eligible, but you can’t use the Amex credit for the subscription — only the ring itself qualifies.
3. Find your size. If you’re unsure of your ring size, Oura will send you a sizing kit.
4. Wait for a sale. If you’re on a budget, you could try checking Oura’s website regularly, especially around sale times like Labor Day or Black Friday, to see if you can get a discount.