At age 23, Jackson J., a chef who lives in Australia, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a type of blood cancer.
His medical journey involved multiple rounds of chemotherapy over several months and many hospital stays. After receiving a stem cell transplant, Jackson’s immune system was severely compromised and he lost a substantial amount of weight.
During his recovery, his fiancée’s sister (an Oura employee in Finland) gifted him an Oura Ring to monitor his health.
“It’s been incredibly helpful to have real-time insights into my body’s recovery process,” Jackson, now 25, tells us. “Before Oura, I had to manually check my heart rate, blood oxygen levels (SpO2), and temperature trends throughout the day to know how my body is doing. Checking my Oura data is way more convenient.”
Now Jackson is technically in remission. “But leukemia is a tricky thing—it’s not like having a tumor removed,” he notes. “In some ways, it feels like I’m starting from scratch. But I’m grateful for the progress I’ve made, and Oura has played a big role in helping me track my recovery every step of the way.”
Read more about Jackson’s journey below.
Using Oura During Recovery
Heart Health
Initially, my main focus with Oura was monitoring my heart rate, because it was still really elevated post-treatment—a condition known as tachycardia. My heart rate would get to 150—160 bpm, and I wouldn’t even notice it. I wouldn’t have palpitations because it was just so fast all the time.
So it was really helpful to get a baseline of what my heart was doing throughout the day. If I got up and went for a walk, I could see that my heart rate would spike, but then it would stay high instead of coming down like it should. It was clear that my body was still working overtime just to function.
During my recovery, I’ve been able to see that my resting heart rate is slowly coming down. Seeing those changes has been really encouraging, and it’s helped me gauge what’s working—whether it’s exercise, sleep, or stress management. It’s been really helpful to have that real-time data to understand how my body is responding.
Sleep
During my time in treatment and in the hospital, my sleep was completely destroyed. I was on steroids and my body was constantly stressed. Even after treatment, it was difficult to get back into a normal rhythm—I would be in bed for 11-12 hours but only got four or five hours of actual sleep. My deep sleep was almost nonexistent.
I’ve worked hard to improve my sleep hygiene. I’ve started using nasal strips and mouth tape to improve my breathing at night, and I wear blue light glasses in the evenings to reduce screen-induced sleep disruptions. I even switched to red light bulbs by my bed to create a more sleep-friendly environment. Oura has been great for tracking this all—and it’s motivating to see a difference in my Sleep and Readiness Scores when I stick to these habits.
Activity
When I first started using Oura, I was still quite light and frail, so activity was more of a second thought. But once my heart rate started coming down and I was able to stomach more food, I started working on strength building.
One of the biggest challenges post-treatment was regaining weight. I lost a lot of weight, dropping from 80 to 90 kg (176-198 lbs) down to about 40 kg (88 lbs). For a long time, it was just about eating whatever I could to put weight back on. Once I reached a stable place with my weight, it became about rebuilding muscle and strength.
Initially, just walking my golden retriever to the end of the street was a challenge. Getting out of bed for the day and just sitting upright on the couch was an accomplishment. Over time, I was able to build up to more.
I’ve been training four to five times a week now. I do resistance training, running, and Pilates. I never did Pilates before I was sick, but it’s been great for my recovery.
| Member Tip: With Oura, all movement counts—whether it’s a walk to the end of the street or a weightlifting session. |
Favorite Oura Features
I’ve been using the meditations and breathing exercises a lot more than I expected. I do mindfulness work outside of Oura, but the guided meditations in the app have been a great resource—especially during the day when I need a quick reset.
I also love using Oura’s stress tracking. I didn’t realize how small, everyday things—like going to the grocery store without a list or an approaching deadline—impacted my stress levels until I started checking my data. It’s been eye-opening to see those patterns and use the tools in the app to help manage them.
| Member Tip: Access Explore content on the Oura App, which includes guided meditations and breathing exercises from leading instructors. |
His Next Steps
I’m doing much better now. I’m technically in remission, but leukemia is a tricky thing—it’s not like having a tumor removed. I had to get to zero cancer cells in my system to receive my stem cell transplant, and now I have an entirely new immune system. So in some ways, it feels like I’m starting from scratch. But I’m grateful for the progress I’ve made, and Oura has played a big role in helping me track my recovery every step of the way.
The past year has been focused on rebuilding—first gaining weight back, then regaining my muscle and strength. I’m finally at a place where I can focus on long-term health, not just recovery, and that feels like a huge milestone.
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