You might recognize COVID more quickly if you're using a fitness tracker

Photo Credit: Bloomberg.com Have you ever questioned whether the information gathered by a wearable can actually provide you with knowledge about how your body is actually functioning? Wearables can indeed provide you with better health information and even forewarn you of impending illnesses, according to research by Oura that was produced using data from the Oura Ring smart ring. In addition to tracking the body's reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine, the team's research focused on those wearers who had a proven COVID-19 infection. The findings are intriguing because they demonstrate that even though wearables like the Oura Ring are not medical instruments, they can still provide us with insight into how our bodies react to impending illnesses. Photo Credit: SFGATE Two and a half days prior to the wearer reporting a confirmed case of COVID-19, the study revealed "dramatic alterations" in body temperature, breathing rate, heart rate variability (HRV), and sleep efficiency. The modifications then persisted for at least ten days. Data from the Oura Ring also monitored the body's reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine. An infection that began the night after the wearer received the vaccine and persisted for up to four days was shown to have a less severe, but presumably comparable, response in the investigation. According to the research, those under 35 and after the second dose had a stronger response. According to Oura, this is a sign of a more powerful immunological response. Body temperature, HRV, and respiration rates are displayed in the daily Readiness portion of the Oura Ring app, giving users a general idea of how prepared their bodies are for the day. You can prepare for the day ahead by using the Readiness Score that Oura assigns depending on several contributing metrics, such as the ones listed above. It is straightforward to locate and comprehend the data Oura used in its research because it is presented in clear graphs that show both HRV and your heart rate when you are sleeping. Also Read: Oura Rings Gets A More Accurate Sleep Staging Algorithm for Users It's important to note that the Oura Ring was unaware that COVID-19 illness existed. It specifically saved information that showed the body was battling an illness. The study's data came from 20,267 Oura wearers who reported receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and 838 users who had a confirmed case of the virus. It was written by Oura's science team. The research, which was published in the peer-reviewed journal Digital Biomarkers, investigated measurements taken one month before and one month after each case and immunization. The importance of knowing our own baselines, which wearables like the Oura Ring gradually develop over time, is demonstrated by Oura's statistics and studies. Sudden changes are signaled, and if we regularly passively check the data gathered, we may clearly observe these variations in the accompanying app. It might provide some insight into why we don't feel well and signal the possibility of an illness. Photo Credit: The Street After a free trial, the Oura Ring costs $299 and requires a $6 monthly subscription. The main study data is not displayed in the app if you choose not to subscribe. Similar information will be provided by the majority of other wearables with the necessary sensor array, but the Oura Ring's app is among the finest at organizing it in a clear, understandable manner.