Oura Ring: Tracking my Sleep

Recently, I learned about the Oura ring. Since it’s supposed to track the different phases of sleep you are getting through the night, I was interested. I typically get about four hours of sleep nightly, and while I do feel great when I awaken in the morning, part of me thinks that my body would benefit from more rest. So, since my interest was piqued, I did a bit of digging to see if this would be something I’d be interested in purchasing. It’s a smart ring that uses sensors that can track various metrics which gives you feedback on your fitness, stress, sleep, and health.

From the Oura website…

Sleep, Readiness, and Activity. Your scores tell you how your body feels and what your body needs, every second of every day. You’ll know when you need more sleep, when you might be getting sick, when it’s time to push yourself — and more — with a personalized experience on the Oura App.

I don’t need it for fitness, stress, or health. I track that with my Apple Watch. It’s why I purchased that device, and I must say the feedback I got from the apps on the watch has helped me tremendously! I could effectively lower my heart rate to the number it used to be before my world turned hectic. If the Apple watch could help me stay on top of those things, perhaps the Oura ring can help me do the same thing.

I chose the Oura Smart Ring 3 and select rose gold. I love rose gold. My iPad, Apple watch cover, and writing pens are all that color. The ring arrived this afternoon. Initially, I was unsure how I liked the ring with my complexion; however, it’s growing on me, and it does match my Apple watch. I noticed it tracking my steps and knew I was engaged in some outdoor activity. We took the dogs for a walk this evening; however, when I took an hour’s nap this afternoon, it did not give me feedback. I’ll have to do more research to see how it tracks naps. Finally, I got a notification on my iPhone that told me I should think about going to bed soon. I never go to bed at this time; however, perhaps my sleep schedule will change. We’ll see!

 

Early morning workouts; feel amazing

I’m picking up an old habit; early morning workouts! Shortly after 6:00 am, I hopped on the Peloton Tread and began my training. I decided that I wanted to try a scenic route. I chose the 30-minute run. I set my incline at its maximum, 12.5%, and the pace I dialed down to 2.5, and off I went. I will say that today was the first day I did not have a smooth run. The screen was freezing on the simulated walk, so I could not soak in the views of my virtual guide. I did not know how much I had already grown to enjoy those virtual walks/runs until the Peloton screen froze on me. I relied on Fairy Tale by Stephen King; I listened to it on Audible to get me through. A quick search of various forums shows that this is a simple fix that requires me to clear the cache, and I will do that later today.

Reduced Exercise; Increased Stress

Exercise has always been something that I’ve openly embraced in my daily lifestyle. The fact that it was restricted for almost a year did have an impact on my overall well-being. The exercises I was used to were something I had to abandon when I became the primary caregiver for my father. My mornings began taking care of him before my workday started. If I was moving, it took about 45 minutes to take care of him; changing soiled bed pads, giving him his daily bath, changing condom catheter if needed, bathing him, applying lotion to his skin, and feeding him. However, on most days, it quickly took over an hour. By the time I was finished, I had a short time frame to try to decompress before my work day started. It wasn’t always easy. Stepping into the role of a caregiver meant my intense workouts had to be placed on hold. The thing is, I thought that I felt fine. I still cared for my father, worked full-time, and spent time with my daughter; however, my body told me in various ways that my activities were stressful.

Weight Gain

The downside was that I wasn’t getting the workouts that I’m used to, and over eight months, I gained 20 pounds. It was a first for me, being overweight, and incredibly frustrating since I was exercising; however, I could not get adequate exercise, and the stress from dealing with two ailing parents was unpleasant. I must say that this past year has been the lowest point I’ve ever found myself in, and the ways I managed to cope were my faith, sheer determination, stubbornness, and family regularly checking in on me.

Weight Loss

The good news is that I’ve already knocked off five pounds, and since I’ve eaten healthy during the entire time that I was taking care of my father, that, combined with exercise and reduced stress, should get me back to my average weight (115 pounds) in no time.

10,000 Steps Daily

Getting at least 10,000 steps daily has been a goal of mine and is easy to maintain now that I have the Peloton Tread and Bike+ in our home. I will admit the past three days (read more about what else I missed below), I forgot that number by one or two thousand, and yesterday was my biggest miss of over three thousand steps. However, I did get a lot of work done around the house, and I consider that a big win.

 

Early morning workout struggles

The past three have been challenging getting my early morning workout. Don’t get me wrong; I HAVE exercised every day since the equipment entered our home; however, the past few days have also been hectic. So I did get my exercise, just not as much as I normally do with my Tread and Bike+. However, since I know that the treadmill has always been a great way to increase my bowel regularity, I’m making every effort to work that back into my early morning routine. Today, I walked for 20 minutes.

Team Peloton: Tread, Bike+, and Guide

It’s official; I’m joining the Peloton group. Last week, I purchased two pieces of equipment; a treadmill and a bike. Initially, I was going to buy the treadmill; however, after additional contemplating a few days later, I purchased the Bike+. They both come with a hefty price tag, The treadmill was a little over $4,000, and the bike ran over $3,000. The treadmill has been on my list for a few years, so I figured it was the time just to take the plunge and get something I would enjoy. There won’t be an issue with my workout equipment collecting dust because that does not happen in this household. I’m consistent with my workouts. Granted, while being my parents’ caregiver, I could not exercise with the intensity that I’m used to; however, I never stopped working out. Now, I’ll be able to commit to the same level of workout intensity that I was used to before my parents became ill.

Why Peloton?

The classes! I reviewed them before finally making the purchase, and I’d also watched numerous Youtube videos about Peloton, most likely in the 100s. Yes, I’m serious. I was sold. That answer would be surprising to those who know me since I never took a gym class throughout my 25+ years of having a gym membership. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve always been a fan of classes; however, I did not want to be in a class with many other people. However, I’m sold since I can join a class from home! Furthermore, since I’d already reviewed the classes before making the purchases, I’d gravitated towards a few of the instructors and knew the class style that would appeal to me.

Gym Room: Work in Progress

My daughter and I are converting one of the rooms in our home to a gym/meditation room. Exercising entirely from home is not that much of a transition; two years ago, I let my 25+ year membership lapse. Like others, I had no choice because of the shutdown. However, unlike some, I was already working out at home since I have free weights and purchased an exercise bike during the pandemic. However, the last few years of my gym membership were mainly because of the sauna and the cardio equipment. Well, the cardio is now covered entirely, and I will have a sauna installed in our home at the end of this year or early next year. So there’s no reason for me to keep up the gym membership. Being in the gym was a means to continue to get the types of workouts that I enjoy; seeing others was not a source of motivation since I motivated myself.

 

 

So long dad; I’ll see you again

My father passed away last Wednesday shortly after nine in the morning. Since I was his primary caregiver, I knew his time was short. It took my brother months to accept what I’d known for months. I did not try to push him to see what my daughter and I already knew. Instead, I gave him the time needed to grieve. My father had been bedridden since October 2021, and after our mom died on Mother’s Day of this year, he lost his desire to be around. It’s been tough to lose both parents a little over three months apart. Both parents had no health issues until the end of last year.

My brother and I are still processing everything. My brother and I are closer, so that’s a plus, and we talk/text several times daily, which is even better. I will say that now I finally have time to grieve. I honestly did not have too much time for that since I still was the primary caregiver for my father.

We had my father’s funeral on Monday, and now it seems I’m finally doing what my body has wanted to do, and that’s rest. I’m thankful for family, loved ones, and a fabulous boss/job. So much has happened over the past few months; there’s been new additions (mainly tech) and upcoming advancements. I’m hoping that I will now have the time to write on my websites and visit my virtual buddies.

She’s here! Say hello to Yoki!

On July 30, Yoki arrived at our household shortly before 7:30 pm. She was hand-delivered to us and came all the way from Florida. The gentleman that brought her to us, was on the road at 2:00 am. Yoki is high-energy just like me, which is perfect. Each morning, when the weather is nice, we go on an outdoor adventure. I’m looking forward to when she’s older since she’ll be accompanying me on hikes, runs, and bike rides. Yoki is a black german shepherd puppy. She turned nine weeks old yesterday.

Random Cuteness: Black German Shepherd Puppies

Black German Shepherd Puppies – Four Weeks Old

 

This picture was taken two weeks ago when the black German Shepherd puppies were four weeks old. The momma had eight puppies total; four girls and four boys. Aren’t they precious? They will be six weeks old tomorrow. It’s hard to believe I will get my sweet baby next month. Where has the time gone?

Earlier today, I purchased a 16″ MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro chip; it arrived by courier this afternoon. Last Saturday, I bought the Shark – AI Ultra Robot Vacuum RV2502AE with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base, LIDAR Navigation, and Wi-Fi Connected – Black. Over the past few months, I’ve purchased a few pricy items. I’m not an emotional buyer; I’d been sitting on these items for at least four years. So, it was finally time to make the purchases.

 

 

Welcoming a new member to the family

In August, we’ll be welcoming a new member to the family; a black german shepherd.

Typically, I’ve gotten rescues; however, this shepherd will be coming from a reputable breeder. I’ve been in contact with him, talked to him twice on the phone, and exchanged several texts with him. I already placed the deposit for the shepherd puppy, and that gave me access to one of his training courses.

The type of shepherd I’m getting is a working line german shepherd. I’ll be feeding them a raw diet. I’ve provided many of my pets with this in the past, and it has been the best choice I’ve made for them. While I know that German Shepherds can be prone to hip dysplasia, I also know numerous things can be done that significantly reduce this issue. So why choose a german shepherd? I’m looking for a dog whose energy level matches mine, and after a lot of research, I felt that the shepherd fit me perfectly. They’re intelligent and trainable, and they have a lot of energy. I’m looking forward to having a fur companion join me on bike rides and runs. One thing that I’ll HAVE to get used to is shedding. We’ve had non-shed dogs; however, I’ll be sure to stay on top of this by grooming them daily. I’m thinking of getting a robot vacuum to also assist me in staying on top of doggy hair. We’ll see.