Why I Took a Break From My Oura Ring and What I Learned About My Body

Listening to your body is still the most advanced technology we have.

I love data.

As a physician, I find it fascinating to see how numbers reflect the inner workings of complex systems—especially the human body. So when I got my Oura ring last August, I was excited. It felt like a window into another layer of physiological truth: sleep stages, HRV, recovery scores, and daily readiness. I was hooked.

But within weeks, something shifted.

I realized I had stopped listening to myself.

Instead of checking in with how I felt each morning—Was I tired? Alert? Calm? Energized?—I was checking the app. Every day I did my usual meditation, then made coffee, then immediately scanned the numbers: REM sleep, deep sleep, max HRV, readiness. It became a ritual. And while some patterns made sense (poor sleep after a heavy meal, late night, or hard workout), others didn’t match how I felt.

More and more, I noticed that I was outsourcing my intuition to the ring.

So I stopped wearing it.

The app kept nudging me to recharge, but I didn’t. Instead, I returned to my own rhythm: daily meditation, 7,000+ steps (more on weekends when I take long walks with friends), regular strength training, rest when I feel tired. I journal over coffee each morning instead of checking my Oura data. I listen to my body. And that’s enough.

My advice? Use trackers if they help—but never let them replace your own inner wisdom.