Who: Chesca G., age 30
Surprising Oura insight: When Chesca works remotely rather than in the city, she notices an improvement in her Oura scores, particularly her Sleep Score. She attributes this to more sunlight and social time and less stress.
What led you to Oura?
I’m a huge health enthusiast, so I follow a lot of health influencers and scientists who always talk about Oura. My boyfriend also had been using it for two years and raved about it. Eventually, I was convinced to give it a shot because of his positive experience.
I’m very into nutrition, fitness, and recovery, and I thought I was doing everything “right.” So when I started using Oura, I hoped to see “Optimal” Sleep, Readiness, and Activity Scores every day!
However, when I started to realize all the factors that were unknowingly impacting my sleep, like alcohol and stress, it was a wake-up call. I didn’t sleep as well as I thought, most noticeably after a night of drinking.
READ MORE: How Alcohol Impacts Your Sleep
How has having this data impacted your alcohol use?
Now, I drink less! I wasn’t a binge drinker, but like many people my age, I’d have drinks over dinner or nightcaps. Since using Oura, I have definitely cut down.
Drinking less alcohol has been the biggest game changer in my productivity. I am able to do more every day without feeling sluggish. I’m able to wake up early, get work done, and work out, which instantly puts me in a better mood. And when I’m in a better mood, I have a better outlook on other things in my life. I can work better and serve other people better because I’ve been able to do what I need to take care of myself.
READ MORE: Gemma’s Journey to Being Alcohol-Free With Oura
“I can work better and serve other people better because I’ve been able to do what I need to take care of myself.”
What other health insights have you gained since using Oura?
Cycle Fluctuations
I am much more aware of the importance of recovery, and I tune into my body throughout my monthly cycle with Cycle Insights.
I’ve noticed that my energy is higher during the follicular phase and eventually dips down during my luteal phase. This insight has helped me adjust my workouts as needed. I usually use my luteal phase as my “deload” (recovery) week as my energy is naturally lower and more sluggish.
Cycle Insights is great for women, particularly those who don’t fully understand how their cycle affects them and their mood. Many of us struggle with fluctuating moods, and it’s powerful to be able to connect these fluctuations with your cycle.
Benefits of Flexible Work
Another insight is how my stress levels and sleep change when I work remotely.
Sometimes I work remotely rather than in the city. Although I am still working, my stress levels are much lower, and I sleep better. This is because I spend more time outdoors in the sun, have less screen time, am more active, and spend more time connecting with people. I’ve seen my scores improve a lot during those times, especially my sleep.
READ MORE: How to Align Your Movement With Your Menstrual Cycle
Accepting Trade-offs
As mentioned, I was often disappointed when my scores weren’t as good as I hoped. But it helped me observe patterns of what was affecting my scores. Understanding these patterns helps me feel like I’m in control.
If I decide to drink one night, I know my Sleep Score won’t be great the next day, and that is the trade-off I’m willing to take. One drink to spend some quality time with family is a good reason to have a low score, but if my scores suffer for several days, I know that it’s not a good thing and it’s time to start reevaluating my choices. So in a sense, Oura keeps me in check.
Overall, Oura has helped me develop a healthier relationship with wellness and, consequently, with my Oura Scores. Instead of fixating on getting perfect scores, I learned to accept that life happens and no matter how well I set the stage, I cannot control everything.
Using the Circles feature on Oura, I’ve also been able to see that these daily fluctuations are normal for others too—I have a circle with a few friends and family. The feature has really shown me the reality that not every day will be a “triple crown” day.
It comes down to this: Oura doesn’t exist in my life to help me achieve a perfect score every day—it’s there to hold me accountable for my choices.
RELATED: How This College Athlete & Oura Intern Rebalanced Their Relationship with Movement
What’s Your Oura Story?
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