Sunday run
In this weekly column, Android Central Wearables Editor Michael Hicks talks about the world of wearables, apps, and fitness tech related to running and health in the pursuit of being faster and healthier.
Smart rings cannot replace smart watches. It can’t accommodate all the sensors, haptics and other components needed for apps, notifications and calls. Beyond that, I’m skeptical that a smart ring can match a watch in terms of step or workout data. But what about sleep tracking?I can’t see anyone Continue wearing a smartwatch after trying your first smart ring.
I’ve been testing the UltraHuman Ring Air for over a week now, and so far I really like its sleep tracking features. However, my new belief is not specific to one particular brand; It can easily be applied to the Oura Ring Gen 3 or the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Ring, which several of my colleagues like. What matters is the form factor.
My Ultra human Ring Air weighs about 3g/0.1oz, while Oura’s rings weigh between 4g and 6g, depending on your ring size. The upcoming Galaxy Ring will apparently weigh between 2.3 and 2.9 grams, making it the crown jewel of lightweight.
For wrist wearables, even a pebble-sized device like the Fitbit Charge 6 weighs 30 grams/1 ounce—mostly because of the strap. A proper smartwatch would weigh two to three times that much, especially when you add stainless steel or titanium.
During the day, I can ignore the weight and feel of the smartwatch on my skin. But as the night wore on, its presence felt more oppressive, as if I was going to sleep in my daytime clothes.
I know I’m in the minority — a 2022 Android Central poll found that 67% of readers “usually” wear a smartwatch to bed, compared with 21% who “never” wear one — but for me That said, the worst thing about smartwatch reviews is that I need to test their sleep tracking capabilities to judge their value to most people.
As a result, I miss out on all the great features and health data a fitness watch offers. My daily watch is a Garmin Forerunner 965, but I don’t see correct body battery data (my sleep energy replenishment) or HRV status (stress and workout recovery levels) because I don’t sleep with it on.
It’s not just about comfort, either. For best results, your smartwatch band needs to fit perfectly. If it’s too tight, it disrupts blood flow and disrupts actual results for heart rate and blood oxygen. If it’s too loose, you’ll get erratic readings because not every pulse is picked up. Even if it’s worn correctly at first, as soon as your pillow or weight moves your smartwatch in the wrong direction, suddenly your data will be lost for hours at a time.
For example, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 proved to be accurate enough for daytime heart rate data, but gave me some very misleading blood oxygen and skin temperature data during my review.
With my UltraHuman Ring Air, it literally feels like it blends into my skin. My usual problem with tactile hypersensitivity—or whatever the official psychological term is—no longer applied.
Now when I wake up I can see my sleep duration, time in each sleep zone, average and resting heart rates, skin temperature, heart rate variability, heart rate drop time, average blood oxygen, agitation and most Other core content data I need. The exception is atrial fibrillation (AFib) detection, which I don’t think any smart ring brand currently offers.
Of course, you may still get inaccurate readings if the smart ring you choose is too tight or too loose. But since you can buy most ring sizes, this is rarely a problem.
Once you have a properly installed smart ring, even if it’s pressed hard against your pillow or mattress while you sleep, it will still stick to your skin along most of your fingers—better than a smartwatch Much more. The exception is during exercise, when your fingers naturally swell from increased blood flow, which seems to mess with your heart rate results.
Now that I’m wearing a smart ring, I find it hard to justify going to bed later or enjoying midday hours, knowing that that little piece of metal will warn me of sleep deprivation or reduced heart rate variability the next day. I hope it helps me develop better habits in the long run.
If you’re already happy with your smartwatch, you can save the $300 cost of a typical smart ring and enjoy sleep tracking. I feel happy for you!
For those few people like me who just can’t stand the weight, the accumulation of sweat and dirt, the swelling in their wrists, and the overall feeling of having something hard pressed against their skin all night long, smart rings are the way to go. . your solution. You’ll get the health and energy data you’ve been missing without any discomfort.
The disadvantages of smart rings are as I said at the beginning: They are not meant to replace the app smart features of your Android Watch or Apple Watch, nor are they meant to replace the metrics and GPS features of your fitness watch. But if you’re the kind of techie who can afford to add a smart ring to your device category, then I highly recommend it.