Oura is excited to welcome Damar Hamlin, the 25-year-old safety for the Buffalo Bills, to our community. After playing college football at the University of Pittsburgh, Damar was selected by the Bills in the 2021 NFL Draft.
On January 2, 2023, Damar experienced a sudden cardiac arrest after making a tackle in a game against Cincinnati. Damar has since made a full recovery, and is back on the Bills roster for the 2023-24 season. He is now using his platform to donate hundreds of AEDs (automated external defibrillators) and inspire thousands of people to get CPR certified.
Welcome to the Oura community! What brought you to Oura?
Oura felt like a great fit because Oura takes the whole person — mind, body, and spirit — into consideration, and how these factors come together to create a good quality of life. For me, it’s important to be intentional in these areas.
RELATED: Learn About Oura’s Compassionate Approach to Sleep
What role does Oura play in your training and overall health?
I’ve learned so much about how my habits affect my health. Before having an Oura Ring, I would just go based off of how I felt that day. With insights from Oura, I can now take a deep dive on how I slept the night before and how it impacts my day, or how my training the day before impacts my performance.
I always want to make sure I’m reaching my goals. Everything is available at the touch of a button. To me that’s a game changer.
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Damar looks at trends in his Sleep and Readiness Scores to determine how to approach his training and recovery. Breathwork and meditation also play a role in his recovery regimen.
How has Oura helped you in your rest and recovery routines?
Rest and recovery is almost everything to me. It’s been a big part of getting me back to feeling like myself.
Using Oura has taken the guesswork out of how I train and recover. On training days, I can see just how much I’ve pushed myself, and because of that, I know how to approach my recovery, which is so important. Being able to tangibly see how a day of rest improves my overall performance is a game changer.
How do you wind down for a good night’s sleep?
I like to spend 10 minutes meditating before I go to sleep. I also like to read for 15 minutes if I can, and watching film before I go to bed relaxes me as well.
RELATED: Try Oura’s Guided Sleep Meditations for Deep and Restful Sleep
What are you working on these days off the football field?
My focus is on giving back to the youth, primarily youth sports organizations. Our goal is to get AEDs into the hands of as many people as possible. We train them how to use it if a situation arises where one may be needed, as well as teach hands-on CPR. They are both extremely crucial to saving lives.
Between 2,000 and 9,000 kids and teens experience cardiac arrest every year, according to the American Heart Association. If I can be a small part of making that number smaller and smaller, then it’s worth it. Every life is worth it.
What’s Your Oura Story?
We’d love to hear your story — share yours here.