An unusually late night might leave people feeling drained the next day but how do night-owl tendencies or a consistently hectic lifestyle affect productivity and performance in the long-term?
Technology is being used to offer some insight into the link between the quantity and quality of sleep and someone’s physical and mental performance. For the first time, the data is being gathered by tiny sensors that sit on a user’s finger rather than wrap around their wrist.
When a person is sleeping, the ŌURA ring monitors their heart and respiration rate, temperature and movement. During the day, its miniature components track activity levels and time spent inactive. All of this information is combined to create a detailed picture of how well rested the user is and how changes to their activity or lifestyle could help improve their wellbeing.
This information is viewed using ŌURA’s smartphone application. The ring uploads data to it wirelessly via Bluetooth low energy, or the device can collect and store data itself for up to three weeks. ŌURA is powered by a Nordic Semiconductor nRF51822 SoC that is enabled by the Arm® Cortex®-M0 processor. It is made with a premium ceramic compound that is scratch resistant and waterproof. A single charge will last up to three days and the battery can be topped up in less than an hour.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, people spend up to one-third of their lives asleep. ŌURA may help ensure this is time well spent.
“Until now, there has been no simple and comfortable way to know how well your body recharges from the challenges of daily life,” explains Petteri Lahtela, the CEO and co-founder of the developer Ouraring. “ŌURA’s sophisticated algorithms translate complex measurements into an accurate yet easy-to-understand readiness score that tells people what days are ideal for challenging themselves and what days are better for rest and recovery.”