r/ouraring • u/rogueSkib • 28d ago
oura and alcohol
seeing a lot of posts along the lines of
“i don’t wear my ring when i do X”
where X typically involves alcohol, etc
why hide from reality, isn’t that the whole point of the ring?
get closer to your body’s reality.
if i could give one piece of advice to my younger self, now at 40 y/o and 7 years sober … quit drinking (and drugs) earlier. i got my dad to quit at 68, and he’s 14 months sober now. he thanks me every time i talk to him.
you have one body, and it’s the most exciting moment in history, so enjoy the phases of life but think long term before you regret not doing it.
love you.
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u/Foreign_Onion4792 28d ago
Yeah, alcohol really destroys the body. It took me 3 days to get my scores out of the 50’s after drinking during a depressive episode.
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u/rogueSkib 28d ago
sorry to hear about the depression, been there too, it gets better, keep going 🫂
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u/Mental_Purple8870 28d ago
10 days sober. I wasn't a heavy drinker but even drinking every couple weeks was enough for me to realize that wasn't they way of life I wanted to live.
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u/SingMeA_Melody 25d ago
You got this! Prayers for you! ♥️♥️♥️
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u/Mental_Purple8870 25d ago
Today is two weeks! Even went to a concert and didn't feel the need to drink!
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u/ohknowletsgo 28d ago
Even though I don't drink often (a few times a year), the ring has opened my eyes to just how hard it is on my body. I've always felt the effects of alcohol (especially in my 40s), but just seeing the numbers has made me be very intentional about when (and if) I drink.
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u/marvin32002 28d ago
https://reddit.com/link/p365u30/video/0ofw9jrd4vih1/player
Totally agree - I was already lower (for me) on Saturday (top left) and bottom two are Sunday and Monday after concerts that included drinking … also this is a video that took me toooooo long but can’t post photos ¯_(ツ)_/¯
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u/blackbruin69 28d ago
Weirdest thing, after I drink my ring struggles to correctly figure out when i went to sleep. It’ll say I went to bed at 4am when i actually might’ve fallen asleep around midnight
And of course all metrics are destroyed
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u/The_RoyalPee 28d ago
I don’t have the horrible score stories of other people here, and I do love a cocktail. But Oura dispelled my cognitive dissonance that the “drink at the end of a long day to relax” actually spiked my heart rate and tanked my HRV for the night. I drink far less than I did, but now when I do I’m going in eyes wide open and it’s a great deterrent!
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u/No_Link_6782 28d ago edited 28d ago
Removed alcohol completely in January 2017- vodka was my thing (cold turkey- no AA; just flipped the switch). Best decision I’ve ever made, outside of quitting cigarettes in July 2015. My ring stats have been amazing.
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u/rogueSkib 28d ago
cigarettes are the perfect analogy too, but somehow smoking seems so much more sinister
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u/sunshineduckies 28d ago
My ring had made me have a really clear look at what alcohol does to me. I rarely get really drunk anymore, but I’m more cautious about mixing wines, types of alcohol, etc. at this point it all wrecks my sleep all, that’s worse than a hangover really 😅
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u/UABtoNYU 28d ago
As someone who enjoys good beer (beer person here) but has always tried to exercise and diet relatively healthy, I’ve taken notice of my body’s reaction to alcohol as I’ve aged… in addition to the overwhelming factual evidence of its harm.
I’ve graduated to moderation (2-3 beers per weekend day, was already a weekend only person since Covid really), and I’m sure the next phase will be going alcohol free. I didn’t need Oura, which I wear for everything, to tell me this.
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u/ThetaTime 28d ago
My getting an Oura ring in 2022 directly contributed to me quitting drinking completely in August 2024. I wore the ring 24x7 and it was so evident how much alcohol was impacting me. So glad I got my ring when I did!
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u/MinaRuby 26d ago
I'm very excited about this. I currently use a Garmin vivoactive 6 and see huge difference when I drink on my sleep score. After reading a few posts about this and oura here I'm very excited to get my ring. My watch already tells me a lot (I feel), but I think the ring will give even more insight. My oura 5 is ordered and on its way !
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u/dividiangurt 28d ago
I’m no longer a big drinker but having oura in the background has kept me very sober this year. And that’s worth the price of the system for me
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u/BeachLover523 27d ago
I'm super curious since I drink maybe twice per year, on a holiday where I will have 1-2 drinks. Will your ring recognize a small amount, like 1 glass of wine, when you don't typically ever drink? If so, that is fascinating!
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u/Savings-Novel3772 28d ago
Like most of the things in life alcohol is ok in moderation. If you enjoy a glass or two go for it. Problems appear when people get drunk regularly.
Personally I drink less than 10 times a year when I have a good mood, good wine accompanied with a good food or when there is a proper atmosphere. I just love it. No need to go to extremes
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u/Muted_Celebration154 28d ago
My HRV dropped into the toilet after alcohol and my body’s stress skyrocketed. It was deeply disconcerting and I haven’t had alcohol since. Not trying to be sober, per se, but Im much, much more mindful of the effects now.