From Grails to Glucose, Oura's Smart Ring Turns Health Into the New Drop

Oura, the health tech company behind the minimalist smart ring (and yes, the same one thatteamed up with Guccifor a luxe limited-edition drop), brought together a crowd of culturally attuned guests in NYC to have a conversation many still avoid: the uncomfortable reality of men's health—and what the future might look like when wellness becomes as personal as your sneaker rotation. And while the ring itself might be discreet, the cultural shift it represents is anything but.
It starts with a wake-up call: men are living, on average, 5.4 years fewer than women. They're also facing higher rates of chronic illness, sleep disorders, and mental health challenges. The crisis isn't new—but the response is. For years, toxic norms told men to 'walk it off.' Now, they're asking different questions:Am I doing enough to maintain my health? Will I be healthy enough to enjoy the future I'm building?
Oura's approach reframes the answer. It's not about reacting when things go wrong. It's about tuning into the body early, learning its signals, and acting before issues escalate. 'Men are increasingly taking ownership of their health—not just reacting to illness, but working to optimize how they feel, perform, and age,' the brand points out.
That kind of framing hits different for an audience raised on performance—from the gym to the creative office. Oura's real innovation isn't just wearable tech. It's translating hard data into daily insights—like how last night's sleep might impact today's focus, or whether your body's truly recovered from yesterday's push.
Using over 20 biometric signals, the ring delivers a Readiness Score, guiding wearers on when to go hard and when to step back. For the Hypebeast reader balancing the pace of grail hunts, sneaker meetups and queueing in drop lines weekly, all while trying to maintain a healthy routine, it's the kind of intel that matters more than just steps or streaks.
But the company isn't stopping at sleep and recovery. Metabolic health is the next frontier—and it's one that desperately needs attention. '88% of U.S. adults are metabolically unhealthy, with men disproportionately affected,' Oura also notes. Instead of focusing on calories or restrictive routines, Oura's system encourages balance through behavior tracking, glucose insights, and non-judgmental guidance. With the help of Stelo—a sleek, over-the-counter glucose sensor developed in partnership with Dexcom—users get real-time feedback on how food, stress, and even workout timing impact energy and insulin sensitivity. It's less about restriction, more about rhythm. Less punishment, more pattern recognition.
What makes Oura's approach resonate is its respect for individuality. Early adulthood? The ring tracks movement, energy, and sleep. Midlife? It leans into stress, metabolism, and glucose trends. Later life? Long-term heart health and cardiovascular aging take center stage.
'Health isn't one-size-fits-all—and it doesn't stand still,' the brand explains. That message lands particularly well in a world where personalization drives everything from playlists to probiotics. And with optional integrations—like syncing with an Apple Watch or logging meals with a quick photo—Oura fits into your life without taking it over. No buzz, no feed, no follower count. Just feedback.
Ultimately, what Oura is selling isn't just health data—it's agency. A chance to be proactive rather than reactive. A future where you know what's happening inside your body the same way you know what's trending next week. It's wellness, but in a tailored silhouette. A smart ring, yes—but also a cultural nudge toward redefining strength, ambition, and longevity.
As the brand puts it plainly: 'The future of health is proactive, personal, and human.' And for the men who once measured success in grails and gallery invites, there may be no flex more valuable than feeling good for the long run.

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CNET

3 days ago

• CNET

Oura Ring Can Now Track Blood Sugar. I Tested It For a Week and Got These 3 Surprising Takeaways

I've used my Oura Ring daily for the past few years to track my sleep, recovery and stress, but it recently unlocked a new insight I didn't know I needed: blood sugar levels. I'm constantly experimenting with the latest health tech, so I was naturally intrigued when I learned that Oura Ring partnered with Dexcom's Stelo, a continuous glucose monitor designed for people without diabetes. The goal of this collaboration is to help everyday people like me understand how food and general eating habits impact blood sugar and overall health. "By combining Stelo data with Oura's existing insights, we're empowering members to better understand the cause-and-effect relationships between eating patterns, energy, mood and recovery -- and ultimately make sustainable, science-backed lifestyle changes," Maz Brumand, vice president of product for Oura, told CNET. I tested the Stelo CGM with my Oura Ring for two weeks, and I can say that it changed the way I eat and move, and I think this type of biofeedback is helpful for everyone, even if you do not have diabetes. What is continuous glucose monitoring, and why is it important? Your blood sugar, or blood glucose, refers to the measurement of sugar in your blood. According to the Cleveland Clinic, glucose is the main source of energy for your body -- it's what powers your muscles, brain and even your cells. When you eat certain foods (particularly carbohydrates), your glucose rises, and your body responds by releasing insulin to shuttle that sugar into cells for energy or storage. On the flip side, if you experience frequent spikes or crashes (even if you don't have diabetes ), it can impact your energy, sleep, mood and even long-term metabolic health. When your body doesn't need glucose immediately, it stores it as glycogen in your muscles and liver. For people with diabetes, monitoring glucose levels is crucial. But is it important to do the same for the rest of us without a diagnosis? To an extent, I think so. Monitoring your blood sugar throughout the day and seeing how your body reacts to different foods can reveal a lot about your cravings, sleep and metabolic health. "Glucose is a real-time window into metabolic health, which underpins how we feel day to day -- our energy, focus, mood and sleep -- and how resilient we are over time," Brumand says. Oura With the rise of wearable glucose sensors like Stelo, those without diabetes can now get insights into how their eating habits impact their bodies (without finger pricks or a prescription). What is a 'normal' glucose range, and are spikes bad? Before using a CGM, I thought blood sugar was either stable or erratic, with no room for in-between spikes. Once I began tracking my glucose daily, I quickly learned that spikes are completely normal, especially after meals and snacks. Most people will see glucose levels rise and drop throughout the day. According to the American Diabetes Association, a general target range for adults without pre-diabetes or diabetes is between 70 and 140mg/dL (note that Oura also follows this range, and it's what users can expect to see in their graphs). It's also worth highlighting that 70 to 100mg/dL is considered normal for fasting (particularly in the morning before having food), and under 140 mg/dL is common, especially after meals. "Clinical studies show that even in healthy individuals, a moderate glucose spike (rise above 140mg/dL) can occur on a daily basis. In fact, research suggests that healthy adults will live above 140mg/dL for about 30 minutes, up to 2 hours a day, which is usually 1 to 3 short-lived glucose spikes", says Renee Fitton, registered dietitian and director of education at L-Nutra, a nutrition technology company. Oura Fitton further explained that the number and frequency of glucose spikes depend on various factors, primarily what and when you're eating. These spiked can also be affected by other factors like stress level, exercise, dehydration and even whether you have a sunburn. Many glucose monitors use a custom range that adapts to your body's baseline and patterns over time. When looking at your graph, it's important to keep in mind that context and trends matter more than one-off spikes. For example, seeing a spike after dessert isn't a sign that something is wrong. It's a sign that your body is doing its job. What matters most is how quickly your glucose returns to baseline and how often your levels stay elevated over time. "I would not see signs for concern for occasional (one to three times per day) moderate spikes (less than 160mg/dL) that resolve within about 30 mins. When reaching more frequent, especially if they are higher spikes (for example, above 180mg/dL), that take a long time to resolve (over 60 minutes), then there may be concerns about metabolic health," Fitton explained. "A completely flat glucose curve is not something that we aim for; you want some gentle ups and downs as a sign of healthy metabolic flexibility." How I set up the Stelo monitor with my Oura Ring You can order the Stelo sensor through ($99 for two sensors). I received a small box with the sensors and easy instructions. Applying it to the back of my upper arm took less than 2 minutes and was surprisingly painless. And yes, there is a small needle involved. I'm terrified of needles, so I spent some time mentally preparing to prick myself, but to my disbelief, I didn't feel it at all. The sound the ejector makes is pretty loud, though. I sometimes think the sound acted as a diversion to my brain, and that's why I didn't feel anything. But, nonetheless, it was a pretty pain-free experience. Once in place, I paired it to the Stelo app, and it automatically reflected within the Oura app. Each sensor tracks your glucose level 24/7 for up to 15 days. Left Image: CGM in the self-injector. Right image: CGM on the back of my right arm. Nasha Addarich Martínez/CNET From the Oura app, I could see how my glucose levels fluctuated throughout the day. You can easily access it at the top of the app, where you also see other data metrics like sleep, heart rate, activity and readiness score (a personalized score, ranging from 0 to 100, that provides a snapshot of how well your body has recovered from the previous day's activities and sleep). How even my 'healthy' food choices raised my blood sugar (and that's OK) One of the most eye-opening parts of my testing was seeing how some of my favorite healthy staples played out on the glucose graph. A great example of this was my favorite pressed juice. I had a pressed juice in the morning that contained pineapple, beets, carrots, ginger, cucumber and lemon. It's nutrient-dense, but it also spiked my glucose above what's considered my healthy range for about 6 minutes (a small window and still considered optimal for my age and overall metabolic health). This was enough to make me rethink how and when I consume fruit-heavy beverages. The next day, I experimented with having a fruit smoothie instead of juice. I made a homemade smoothie with berries, banana, plant-based protein powder, peanut butter, soy milk and oats. This smoothie kept my glucose completely in range (zero minutes above my personal threshold). The added protein and fiber from the fruit, oatmeal, peanut butter and protein powder helped slow the absorption of natural sugars into my bloodstream. Nasha Addarich Martínez/CNET What I learned: Even natural fruit juices can cause glucose spikes, especially when consumed on an empty stomach and without any protein or fiber. Smoothies that include protein, fat and fiber can help keep spikes at bay and help stabilize your energy levels. Balance your meals with protein, fats and fiber Nasha Addarich Martínez/CNET Later that week, I had sushi rolls with a side of edamame for dinner. To my surprise, my glucose levels stayed within range the whole time. Oura Advisor (Oura's AI coach) even pointed out that this food combination offered protein and fiber, which likely contributed to the steady glucose levels. This moment was really encouraging for me. It made me realize that I don't need to drastically change what I eat. By just being more intentional about how I pair my foods, I can drastically improve the impact they have on my blood glucose. Pairing your foods with healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds and olive oil can also slow digestion and therefore the absorption of sugars. Fitton explains that this is primarily due to what happens in our digestive tract, even before the nutrients get to our bloodstream. Protein, fiber and healthy fats work in their own way to slow the absorption of simple carbohydrates into the bloodstream, making a slower, more gradual release of sugars into the blood. These factors turn what could be a glucose spike into a steady rise that your body can clear gradually. "The biggest area of concern when managing our blood sugar levels is limiting refined carbohydrates. When you do choose a refined-carb item (a plain cracker, white flour tortilla, cookies, etc.), try to pair it instead of eating it solo: add cheese, nut butter or a handful of edamame to blunt the glucose rise, and choose a higher-fiber version of your carbohydrate source when possible (for example, whole-grain crackers) so the carbs come packaged with their own speed limit," Fitton says. Cake and a walk equal steady blood sugar? One of the more surprising things I learned was that blood sugar stability isn't just about what you eat. It's also about what you do after you eat. One afternoon, I had a slice of cake for a snack. No fiber or protein added, just the cake (I had lunch a few hours before). Instead of my blood sugar spiking, my glucose levels remained steadily in range. The caveat? I took a brisk walk after having my dessert. It wasn't anything strenuous, just a short 15-minute walk around my neighborhood. But it was enough to help my body process and use the glucose more efficiently. "The body knows that exercise demands more energy, and so it helps open up our cells to soak up sugar (energy) and remove it from our blood. A 10-minute walk burns about 30 to 40 calories, and your body will get that energy from circulating glucose or stored glycogen," Fitton explained. After eating cake and going for a walk, my blood sugar saw a slight spike, but stayed within range. Nasha Addarich Martínez/CNET Taking a walk after meals has long been recommended by experts for metabolic health, but seeing the effect in real time made it click for me. I do think that having the cake after having a balanced meal with protein and fiber also contributed to my steady levels of blood sugar. Sometimes, it's not about completely eliminating our favorite treats or carbs, but more so about timing, food pairing and movement. 3 ways I learned to flatten my glucose curve without sacrificing my favorite meals Before using the glucose sensor with Oura, I assumed blood sugar spikes were mostly about foods and how they impact your body. I also thought the only way to manage them was to cut carbs or drastically change my diet. But over these two weeks, I experienced firsthand how and when I eat (and move) matter just as much as what I eat. I learned that these three strategies helped keep my glucose levels in check. Pair carbs and sweets with protein, fiber and healthy fats When I had a berry smoothie with protein powder and soy milk, my glucose levels stayed steady. In contrast, when I had a fruit smoothie earlier that week, my blood sugar levels spiked and crashed more quickly. Takeaway: Carbs on their own, especially refined and processed carbs, can spike blood sugar quickly, but adding protein or fat slows digestion and leads to a more gentle spike. Food pairing examples: Apples and peanut butter, toast with avocado, rice with beans or another it out (especially after sweets) When I had cake as a snack, I was sure my graph would spike dramatically, but it didn't because of my walk (and eating a balanced meal before). A simple walk, even just 10 to 15 minutes, can help offset blood sugar spikes. This small but simple habit helps me now enjoy treats without the crash later. Timing your food matters I also noticed that when I ate higher-carb foods earlier in the day, my body processed them better than when I had them later at night. Breakfast smoothies and bowls kept my levels stable, while the same smoothie after 9 p.m. caused more spikes. "When it comes to blood sugar management, we see that in the morning our body usually has a spike in cortisol (a stress hormone) that can actually help our body take up sugar very quickly and quickly manage blood sugar. Eating in the morning will also calm the cortisol response, reducing the stress on your body. If you wait too long to eat, excess cortisol can create inflammation and also produce larger glucose spikes when you do eat," explained Fitton. Fitton further explained that, conversely, in the evening, the sugar management systems in our bodies start powering down and are not as good at helping blood sugar get into the cells. So it is important to try not to eat too late; otherwise, you'll probably see blood sugar go up and stay up for longer. That doesn't mean you can't eat carbs or treats at night, but eating them earlier in the day when insulin sensitivity tends to be higher can make a real difference.

CNBC

4 days ago

• CNBC

Oura, Maven Clinic team up to bring biometric data into clinical care

Women's and family health platform Maven Clinic is partnering with smart ring maker Oura, a step forward in the integration of the increasing amount of data being collected by wearable devices and clinical care. As part of the partnership, eligible Maven members will be able to sync the data that their Oura Ring collects with the Maven platform, allowing members of the Maven care team to comb over the Oura-collected data like sleep, stress and activity to provide enhanced health guidance. Maven Clinic, a three-time CNBC Disruptor 50 company, is the largest virtual clinic for women's and family health with more than 2,000 employers and health plans using its platform. The company, which raised a $125 million funding round valuing it at $1.7 billion in October 2024, offers programs that range from fertility and family building to maternity and newborn care to menopause and midlife health. Kate Ryder, CEO and founder of Maven Clinic, said that we're in a "reinvigorated era of consumer health," a period that is being defined by the amount of data being collected via wearables and the desire of people to use those diagnostics to seek treatment and advice. Ryder said that a recent survey of Maven Clinic members found that nearly three out of four members are tracking their health regularly with some sort of device, and consumers are asking, "How do I take my health into my own hands with all these tools and areas of wellness at my fingertips to try to live a healthier life?" That shift prompted Maven's new partnership with Oura, also a three-time Disruptor 50 company, which was ranked No. 23 on the 2025 CNBC Disruptor 50 list and has been on its own path of wellness and preventive health via its eponymous Ring in recent years. While Oura's initial focus centered on tracking sleep and recovery metrics, its scope has widened significantly in recent years to broader healthcare and personal health issues. As Oura CEO Tom Hale said in a recent CNBC interview, "the vision for the future of Oura has to do with the doctor in your pocket." That includes a wide variety of metrics, features and health indicators tracked by the Oura Ring and parsed by the company's AI and analytics to offer wearers' health insights, including a variety of female-focused features around menstrual, period and pregnancy cycles. "One of our key theses is that women have been overlooked in science, and in health understudied and overlooked, but we believe that they expect the same level of personalization, transparency and immediacy from their healthcare," said Oura chief commercial officer Dorothy Kilroy. "This is what they want, and traditional healthcare hasn't really kept up with that for women and their families." Kilroy said that the partnership between the two companies aims to deliver that, offering "smart, connected personalized care that'll fit into their lives and not the other way around, which is kind of what the old healthcare systems have provided." The ultimate goal is to improve health outcomes through the utilization of the data collected by the Oura Ring, allowing for more personalized recommendations, the ability to catch issues sooner and be more proactive, and layering in expert medical care at critical points. "Tracking is the first step, but really it's not just about surfacing health data," Ryder said, noting that Maven Clinic is the first virtual care platform to turn Oura's health signals into expert care. "We really want to act on it to actually drive better outcomes." One example of how the data could be utilized would be in the case of a pregnant Maven member diagnosed with gestational diabetes. That person could work with a Maven nutritionist or support coach to help regulate their glucose levels, while using Oura's physical activity tracking and meals and glucose features to monitor their progress. Oura is increasingly working with a variety of partners in the healthcare sector to use the biometric data collected by its Rings, Kilroy said, allowing it to be "paired with clinical care and creating that kind of seamless experience where the members can both understand what's going on in their body but they can actually use that to get expert care all in one place." Ryder said that she sees the convergence of this sort of biometric tracking and the clinical side as leading towards much more effective preventative care, leading to "much better outcomes," especially among high-risk patients where this sort of reporting and engagement can result in significant improvements in health. Maven Clinic will start to integrate the Oura data into its platform starting later this summer, with a goal of having it reach all members who want to opt in by the winter. Maven members will also receive exclusive pricing on the purchase of an Oura Ring. "We have to shift our healthcare system into prevention and invest more in wellness and wellbeing," Ryder said. "There's a lot of exciting stuff that this partnership can do to take the step forward, be innovative and show the outcomes on the back end."

Tom's Guide

5 days ago

• Tom's Guide

Don't fall for the Oura Ring 4 upgrade — the Ring 3 has the same sleep tracking tech and is $150 cheaper

From Oura to Garmin, Eight Sleep and Apple I've tested my fair share of sleep trackers over the past few months, but the one I always recommend to friends looking to optimize and learn more about their ZZZs for a reasonable price? It's the Oura Ring. While no sleep tracker is 100% accurate every night, in my experience the Eight Sleep Pod 4, aka our best smart bed of the year, and Oura Ring provide the most reliable data. I began tracking my sleep with the Oura Ring 3 at the start of this year and have recently upgraded to the Oura Ring 4. While there are noticeable improvement (like the Ring 4's more durable finish), if you're using the ring purely as a sleep tracker, I recommend saving your pennies and opting for the previous generation while stocks last. Here's why... While the underlying sleep tracking tech remains the same, the key updates Oura has introduced with the fourth generation ring revolve around improved battery life and sensor accuracy, and a redesign focused on comfort and better durability. The Ring 4 also introduces "Smart Sensing" technology and a wider size range. Oura Ring's "Smart Sensing" is powered by an advanced algorithm that works alongside the research-grade sensors within Oura Ring 4 to respond to each member's unique finger physiology, including the structure and distinct features of your finger (i.e. skin tone, BMI, and age). Battery life has also been improved with the Oura Ring 4. Oura Ring 3 claimed to last up to seven days between charges, though in my experience and that of our other reviewers, four to five days is a more accurate battery life window. However, I have used the Oura Ring 4 for four days and it has 48% charge remaining, suggesting it will power through eight days. Finally, the Oura Ring 4 has a more robust titanium design. I noticed the Oura Ring 3 start to scratch within the first few days of wearing it, so this is certainly a welcome upgrade. Oura Ring 3: was from $299 now from $199 at OuraThe Oura Ring 3 was released in 2021. It comes in two styles — heritage (a plateau design) and horizon (sleek circular design). In current sleep sales, there's $100 off the Oura Ring 3 while stocks last. Oura Ring 4: from $349 at Oura The Oura Ring 4 replaced the Ring 3 as of October 2024. This new-and-improved smart ring is available in six different smooth metal finishes including (in ascending price order) silver, black, brushed silver, stealth, gold and rose gold and additional ring sizes from 4 to 15 rather than 6 to 13. Prices start from $349 and reach $499. If you're looking for a comprehensive sleep tracker but don't want to splash more than $300, here's why I recommend you shop the Oura Ring 3 over the Oura Ring 4, after testing both myself... With $100 off all sizes now, you can get the Oura Ring 3 for between $199 and $349 (was $299 to $449). The Heritage style Oura Ring 3 is $199 in silver and black and $279 in stealth, and the Horizon design is $249 in black, $279 in stealth and brushed titanium and $349 in gold. Meanwhile the Oura Ring 4 sits at MSRP of $349 in silver and black, $399 in brushed silver and stealth, and $499 in gold and rose gold. No matter the model or color you're going for, you'll end up paying at least $150 more for the Ring 4. Add on top Oura's subscription fee ($5.99 per month or $69.99 per year) and this sleep tracker becomes a significant financial commitment. For me, the difference in sleep tracking functionality between Gen 3 and Gen 4 doesn't quite justify the $150 price difference. So, to save cents where you can I recommend shopping the Ring 3 while stocks last. While it is now a popular all-round health tracker worn by wellness enthusiasts, the Oura Ring has its roots in the sleep tracking market and has proved itself as a comprehensive snooze gadget. The Oura Ring 3 might not be the newest, most advanced sleep tracker on the market after being around for the best part of four years, but it still gives a reliable picture of how well you sleep each night. It keeps tabs on how long it takes for you to fall asleep, how long you spend in each sleep stage, how long you sleep overall and how 'efficient' your sleep has been. The Oura Ring 4 is said to be built with more accurate sensors, but there are no new metrics covered in your nightly sleep report. I've observed similar discrepancies in time spent asleep when comparing data given by the Eight Sleep Pod 4 smart mattress cover with that from both the Oura Ring 3 and Oura Ring 4. Between the Ring 3 and the Eight Sleep Pod I observed a discrepancy of between 16 and 44 minutes in time spent asleep. With the Ring 4 and Eight Sleep Pod, the discrepancy was between 11 and 36 minutes. Even with the latest wellness tech, measuring exact sleep time at home is a difficult task as you're literally in an unconscious state. Considering the differences in sleep time mentioned above are only a matter of minutes, I recommend the more affordable Ring 3. While one of the key upgrades between the two rings is focused on comfort, I haven't noticed a major difference between the two rings. Both are comfortable overnight. Sitting on your finger rather than your wrist, I find the Oura Ring more comfortable overnight compared with wrist-worn trackers that can feel claustrophobic in bed. In fact, the Oura Ring 3 is slimmer than the Ring 4 in the size I wear (size 9). The Ring 3 measures 2.57mm thick on the sides and 2.97mm thick on the "top" compared to 2.88mm all the way around with the Ring 4, so it feels less clumpy on your finger. In terms of durability, if you're wearing the ring purely as a sleep tracker, the Oura Ring 3 won't tarnish in bed. It is only likely to scratch if you're wearing it as an all-day health tracker. Having tested both the Oura Ring 3 and Ring 4, it's clear to see the Ring 4 is an upgraded, more durable product with longer battery life and more accurate biometric sensors. However, if you want an excellent smart ring for sleep tracking, you're in capable hands with the Oura Ring 3, which you can buy right now for $150 less.