This Black Friday, I'm finally treating myself to an Oura Ring 4 — I'm ditching the mum guilt because the price is finally right

The Oura ring has long been on my radar as a gentle, unobtrusive way to monitor and track my health and well-being.

However, as a working mum, I have always struggled to justify a piece of kit that was solely for my own care. This is one piece of tech that couldn't become a family asset in the same way most GPS and other pricey devices can be justified.

However, this Black Friday, the Oura Ring has had a huge price drop, and suddenly it has moved the device up to the number one slot on my Christmas list (also known as the position for just buying the gift now and then working out which family member will give it to me on the big day).

It's not all about me, I promise. I will, of course, still be devoting some time to hunting gifts for others, and will be sure to add any great finds to our specific Black Friday Bike Deals page, so it's well worth swinging by if you are also bargain hunting this sales period.

Oura Ring Gen 4: was $499 now $349 at Amazon

There's 30% off the Oura Ring Gen 4 at Amazon this Black Friday, saving you $100 with free delivery and returns.

There are currently six colours and twelve sizes to choose between at this price, although you might not get the full choice of colours in every size.

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Oura Ring Gen 4: was £499 now £349 at Amazon

The UK also benefits from a 30% saving on the Oura Ring Gen 4, saving you £150 on the original RRP.

There are six colours to choose from and 12 sizes, but be aware that some sizes might be limited in colour now.

I also spotted this 44% saving on the Oura Gen3, which reduces the price from £229 to just £129, but you'll need to be less fussy about colour and shape when finding your size.

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When our North American Editor, Anne-Marije Rook, told me that she had the Oura Ring to review, I was somewhat sceptical. Could a ring really have much impact on her health as a cyclist?

It turned out that my concerns were unfounded, and what Rook discovered was that her body was severely lacking in rest and recovery. She had spent a long time bouncing from illness to injury, and, combined with the constant travel demands of the job and riding at full gas, her body was recovering poorly. The Oura Ring detected this immediately.

She'll admit to herself that deep down she already knew this, but seeing the Oura Ring data displayed so clearly added a sense of validation to her intense need for time out.

This is precisely the kind of data I want insight into—something to keep me in balance, not constantly pushing myself towards PBs, fitness, and goal-hitting, and measuring myself only in terms of targets and performance.

As someone who struggles to stop and rest, I want the equivalent of a well-being coach with me to tell me when enough is enough and to legitimise taking care of myself.

The Oura Ring system tracks over twenty biometrics, including heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV), body temperature, blood oxygen levels (SpO₂), activity, calories burned, steps taken, sleep stages and movement during sleep, and basal body temperature (to provide menstrual cycle data).

It converts this information using AI-powered tools, such as the Oura Advisor, to provide insights into a wealth of health and wellness metrics. Primary areas include heart health, sleep and rest, activity and movement, stress, women's health, and metabolic readiness.

What it doesn't do is capture activity-specific metrics or broadcast your heart rate live. However, it can sync recorded workout heart rate data with third-party apps such as Strava, and import workout details into the Oura platform for a more holistic view of effort and activities. Although I suspect I'll be leaving this capability well alone.

I'm adding the Oura Ring Gen 4 to my cart right now because of the significant discount, and I'd never feel I could justify the purchase otherwise (I'll still wrap it up for Christmas and tell my family it's what they can give me).

However, I've noticed that on Amazon, the Oura Gen 3 is also available at impressive discounts in the UK if you are less picky about the colour and can find your size.