u/blueberries-are-cool

Hi everyone! I’m not in the US, I’m based in Mexico.

I’ve been lurking in the Oura and Ultrahuman subreddits for a while, but recently realized there may be other smart ring options on the market, so now I honestly don’t know where to start.

For context: I’m female, obese, and trying to get my health back on track. I used to go to the gym consistently, but I had to stop around October because I was working two jobs while studying full time and simply burned out.

I’m currently on a GLP-1 (just started) and also have PCOS. Fortunately, I don’t have cysts so far, but hormonally I’m very sensitive. If I’m not on birth control, my mental health and physical symptoms get significantly worse (depression, anxiety, acne, weak hair, no energy, etc.), so stopping it is not something I’m considering right now.

I recently graduated college and now have a more stable job (thankfully just one now), and I really want to rebuild healthier habits. When I was going to the gym regularly, I loved walking on the treadmill for long periods (slight incline walking), doing Pilates, and swimming.

I recently got lab work done and, aside from my weight, most things are okay except for:

- High cholesterol

- Extremely high cortisol levels

The cortisol issue especially worries me because I feel like my baseline stress levels are permanently elevated, and I really want to work on recovery, stress management, sleep, and overall health.

My lifestyle moving forward will probably look like:

- Office job (2 days work from home)

- Thesis/research work after hours

- Going back to the gym consistently

I’d wear the ring basically all the time except for showering and maybe swimming. Ideally I’d like something that can track workouts automatically or at least let me log them manually through the app. If needed, I could also wear it while swimming, I’d just like to start doing it more consistently again and log those workouts easily.

I’m less interested in menstrual cycle prediction because birth control already regulates that pretty well. What I care more about is stress/recovery insights, sleep tracking, readiness/energy trends, heart rate/HRV, long-term health habits, and anything that could help me identify patterns behind anxiety or burnout episodes. Regarding cortisol, I’d love whichever option gives the best stress/recovery insights.

Budget is definitely a factor. I just graduated and I’m in a junior role, so I can’t justify something extremely expensive. My office apparently offers a wellness reimbursement benefit, so I may be able to recover part of the cost. I’d strongly prefer:

- No subscription if possible

- Interest-free installment payments if available internationally/Mexico

- Good value long term

Given all that, which brands/products would you personally recommend I look into?

Also, if the ring you’re recommending scratches easily, do you know of any silicone or TPU covers/cases that fit that specific ring model well? Ideally, I’d prefer something that still keeps the metallic look/style of the ring. Thanks!