BlueWave Medicine Delivers Personalized High End Concierge Medicine Services In Silicon Valley

BlueWave Medicine Delivers Personalized High End Concierge Medicine Services In Silicon Valley

Overview

Founded by Dr. Brad Jacobs MD, BlueWave Medicine offers technology-enabled precision and functional medicine concierge practice in Silicon Valley. In his practice, Dr. Jacobs combines his training and expertise in Hakomi psychotherapy, clinical research, genomics, psychedelic-assisted therapy, digital health, and functional medicine to help improve healthspan and quality of life.

The team at BlueWave consists of health coaches, functional nutritionists, personal trainers, exercise physiologists, acupuncturists, psychotherapists, yoga therapists, and more. All of these practitioners work together to provide team-based, patient-centered, whole-person, personalized healthcare.

As a part of the Private Physicians Alliance and located in Silicon Valley, technology is a must-have in all areas of BlueWave’s practice. Heads Up, a platform that integrates with digital devices and provides a single platform to evaluate client data, is essential for delivering the superior results offered by the BlueWave team.

Business challenges

Being located in Silicon Valley, technology is a focus of many of the patients who work with BlueWave Medicine. Therefore, Dr. Jacobs knew that any patient portal experience had to meet the sophisticated needs of his unique concierge medicine practice. Additionally, with so many team members assisting in optimizing patient results, streamlining communication was also essential.

BlueWave uses Elation as its EMR, but it did not offer the user interface expected by its sophisticated clients or many of the functions needed by a whole-person practice. But like most EMRs Elation did not offer a comprehensive health data collection, visualization, and automation for practitioners to see the whole picture of the patient’s health.

Dr. Jacobs also needed a way to integrate devices into the EMR program, such as Oura and Dexcom, to help optimize the lifestyle factors driving health outcomes. Information from the devices needed to seamlessly integrate with advanced diagnostic offerings such as conventional blood work, biological age testing [Trudiagnostic, Lifelink], and body composition testing.

Finally, since BlueWave offers a concierge service, secure messaging and coaching features were essential, as the team regularly engages with clients. Coaching involves evaluating the insights from sensors and wearables, as well as diagnostic results to provide in-depth assessment and progress reports.

All of this functionality and access to client data needed to be presented visually and cohesively to help the BlueWave team effectively monitor and evaluate the success of their clients.

Heads Up provides a system to integrate all of the different data that you need to really deliver practice-based outcomes…

Dr Brad Jacobs

Dr. Brad Jacobs

BlueWave Medicine

Technology solution

Heads Up offers a single technology-focused solution to integrate all of the unique needs of the BlueWave team. The platform seamlessly integrates with various devices and trackers, such as the Oura ring and Dexcom, providing real-time insights into the client’s stress, activity, blood sugar balance, metabolic health, and sleep.

Optimizing healthspan and lifespan is a cornerstone of BlueWave’s practice. Dr. Jacobs and his team establish baseline metrics and monitor the client’s progress over time, focusing on various interventions such as lifestyle, stress, diet, and sleep to optimize health.

A platform like Heads Up allows the team to integrate multiple health data points, making it easier to track and analyze client progress. The team can visually evaluate all of the longevity outcomes within one simple dashboard including:

 

  • Age testing from TruDiagnostic
  • Telomere length by LifeLength
  • HRV
  • Sleep
  • AM Readiness
  • Glucose
  • Body composition
  • VO2 Max
  • Lactate threshold
  • Weight
  • Body fat
  • Conventional blood tests (vitamin D, cholesterol, etc)

The data that Heads Up pulls together is clinically helpful for me to use, and it’s been great to use the dashboards with patients.

Dr Brad Jacobs

Dr. Brad Jacobs

BlueWave Medicine

    World-Class Patient Experience

    Heads Up redefined the patient experience for Blue Wave Medicine, by providing a world-class platform that seamlessly consolidates and visualizes diverse health data, empowering patients to take control of their well-being and fostering collaboration between patients and their practitioners.

    By streamlining the delivery of personalized care, Heads Up enables the BlueWave team to rapidly pinpoint key areas for intervention, engage patients with actionable insights, track progress over time, and consistently deliver data-backed outcomes.

    Labs 01

    Individual Patient Dashboards

    At the core of the Heads Up platform is a single, intuitive interface that centralizes and brings to focus important personal health data for each individual patient. Practitioners can quickly access each patient’s health dashboard to see the latest insights, boosting both clinical and operational efficiency while saving valuable time and resources.

    For patients, the dashboard offers a truly proactive and personalized experience. By clearly illustrating how daily habits—such as diet, exercise, and sleep—impact key health indicators like blood pressure, weight, and blood sugar levels, individuals gain a deeper understanding of how their choices directly shape their well-being. This empowered perspective not only establishes a new standard for patient engagement and care, but also inspires lasting behavior changes that foster optimal health outcomes.

    Dashboard 02

    Tracking Interventions

    Heads Up simplifies the process of monitoring and refining interventions for BlueWave Medicine by offering clear, near-time insights into each patient’s evolving health metrics. This data-driven perspective makes it easy to see which treatments are working well, and which may need adjustment, ensuring every patient receives the most effective care possible. Beyond enhancing patient outcomes, this objective, evidence-based approach underscores the value of BlueWave’s concierge services and reinforces a culture of continuous improvement.

    As you can see in the report below, BlueWave’s intervention helped improve the patients HRV from 25ms to 55ms. Providing validation of the physiological response to the treatment.

    This enhanced awareness motivates individuals to make informed decisions and adopt healthier behaviors, leading to improved disease management, reduced risk of complications, and a greater sense of control over their health journey. Furthermore, Heads Up facilitated a more productive communication and collaboration between patients and practitioners at BlueWave Medicine, fostering a patient-centric approach to care.Dashboard 4

    Practice Level & Group Cohort Level Analysis

    Beyond individual dashboards, Heads Up empowers BlueWave Medicine to analyze patient data at scale—across the entire practice or within specific cohorts. By aggregating metrics and outcomes for groups of patients with similar health goals or conditions, practitioners gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of larger-scale interventions.

    This bird’s-eye view helps refine clinical protocols, identify best practices, and ensure consistent care quality throughout the practice. The result is an evidence-based framework that drives better outcomes for all patients, fuels continuous improvement, and elevates the overall standard of concierge medicine at BlueWave.

    TruDiagnostics DunedinPACE (1440px) 2

    Enabling Health Coaches

    Heads Up software helps BlueWave’s health coaches track individual and cohort outcomes, helping improve retention and client engagement. Health coaches help reinforce positive lifestyle behaviors and identify when there’s areas for optimization. Heads Up allows team members to access near-time data and wearable feedback to effectively coach clients to help them achieve their desired health outcomes.

    Knowing that you are monitoring my data keeps me accountable and motivates me to adopt healthier habits. I’m sleeping better, eating healthier, and exercising more because I’m aware that my activities are being tracked.

    Patient Testimonial of BlueWave Medicine

    Summary

    Quantifying longevity outcomes requires a multifaceted approach that integrates advanced diagnostics, lifestyle interventions, and psychospiritual health. Optimizing health and understanding individual vulnerabilities in aging allows BlueWave’s clients to achieve a lasting health span and behavior change.

    For me, data drives behavior change intrinsically…just seeing a number that says, ‘You have a little more work to do here than you thought…

    Dr Brad Jacobs

    Dr. Brad Jacobs

    BlueWave Medicine

    By combining these elements into one platform with a robust user interface, practitioners like Dr. Jacobs can provide comprehensive care that not only extends life but also improves the quality of life.

    If your practice seeks the gold standard in health data management, Heads Up offers the solution to elevate patient outcomes and simplify care delivery.

     

    Tracking Patient Health Data Has Never Been Easier!

    Animation Demo

    Leverage The Power Of Heads Up in your Health Practice

    Get started with by scheduling custom demo with one of our specialists to see the difference Heads Up can make in your practice. Schedule your demo and discovery call here.

    Frame 1

    Optimize Health & Longevity

    Synchronize your clients’ medical records, labs, wearables, apps, and more into Heads Up for better outcomes. 
Sign Up now for a free starter account!

    Operationalizing Oura Ring & Dexcom CGM in Concierge Practices

    Operationalizing Oura Ring & Dexcom CGM in Concierge Practices

    Advanced Health & Medical Training Series: Operationalizing Oura Ring & Dexcom CGM in Concierge Practices

    Discover how top health professionals use wearable technology, medical devices, assessments, and advanced diagnostics to enhance patient care, optimize health outcomes, and elevate practice efficiency.

    By using CGMs, wearables, and advanced diagnostics, health professionals can move beyond the one-size-fits-all approach and offer personalized, proactive, and preventative care that significantly improves patient outcomes, adherence, and longevity.

    By integrating clinical experience and live patient data with easy-to-use health data analytics, health professionals can ensure that their protocols are effective and aligned with positive patient experiences.

    In this training, you will learn how to optimize Sleep & Metabolic Health using Oura Ring, Dexcom CGMs and Heads Up.

    Data-Driven topics you will learn about:

     

      • Explore the Sleep-Metabolic Health Connection
        Unpack the intricate link between sleep and metabolic health, and why it matters for your patients’ overall wellness and longevity.

      • Capturing Essential Patient Data
        Learn how to integrate data from Oura Ring, Dexcom CGMs and other diagnostics for a comprehensive view of patient health.

      • Validating Outcomes
        Master the metrics that matter, ensuring your interventions are effective and measurable for continuous improvement.


    Training Resources:

      1. Webinar Slides:

      1. Schedule Platform Demo

      1. Sign Up For Heads Up

    Graphic: Metabolic Sleep Stress Cycle

    Masterclass Operationalizing Oura Ring & Dexcom CGM


    Get Notified Of Future Data-Driven Training



    Valued Sponsors

    Sponsor Slides


    TruDiagnostic.png

    TruAge Complete: An epigenetic test that tells you how old you really are on the cellular level. The test tells you: your biological age, rate of aging, and age of 11 key organ systems by looking at 75+ biomarkers. By routinely taking the test, you can measure the impact of lifestyle changes you make to improve your epigenetic health. Learn more


    quick silver logo

    Quicksilver Scientific is built on 18 years of scientific research and innovation with over 60 advanced liposomal supplements and more than 20 expertly designed protocols that have gained global recognition and a dedicated following by 30,000+ healthcare practitioners and patients world-wide. Learn more.


    deltag

    DeltaG is the #1 Ketone Drink in the World — Developed by scientists at the University of Oxford and the National Institutes of Health. Groundbreaking technology allows users to enter a previously unattainable metabolic state. Learn more.


    image 14

    Oura Ring allows you to continually collecting data on over 20 biometrics that directly impact your wellbeing, day and night. Providing you round-the-clock insights into sleep, fitness, and stress for wellness. Learn more.


    Transform Your Practice with Cutting-Edge Technologies That Validate Health Outcomes.

    Heads Up Product Demo


    Want to Leverage Heads Up in your Health Practice?

    Get started with by scheduling custom demo with one of our specialists to see the difference Heads Up can make in your practice. Schedule your demo and discovery call here.

    Longevity Dashboard

    How To Integrate Oura Ring Into Concierge Medicine Practices

    How To Integrate Oura Ring Into Concierge Medicine Practices

    Concierge Medicine Software

    Digital Health & Medical Training

    Join us for this deep dive on how to integrate Oura Ring into Concierge Medicine Practices.

    Our guest speaker is Dr. Jake Deutsch, founder and Chief Medical Officer at Oakwood Precision Concierge Medicine.

    In this training, you will discover how health professionals are providing world-class experiences using Oura Ring and Heads Up to actively engage their clients and provide data-backed outcomes.

    1. Implement Oura Ring in Concierge Practices.
    2. Provide white glove customized experiences for clients.
    3. Correlate clients’ lifestyle with biological impact. 
    4. Optimize & validate outcomes using health data.
    5. Improve practice efficiency and optimize workflows. 
    6. Tips on deploying rings to new clients efficiently.
    7. Get insider access to exclusive discounts!!!
    Learn How To Integrate Oura Ring, Labs, CGMs and Medical Devices Into Concierge Medicine.

    If you would like to see a custom demo of how Oura Ring and Heads Up can integrate into your Concierge Medicine Practice schedule a one-on-one with a Heads Up specialist.

    Schedule here


    Youtube Background

    How To Integrate Oura Ring Into Your Concierge Medicine Practice

    The integration of wearable technology in healthcare has been gaining momentum, and the recent webinar on integrating Oura Ring into concierge medicine practices has highlighted its transformative potential. This article delves into the insights shared during the webinar, illustrating how the Oura Ring, a pioneering health tracking device, is redefining patient care in concierge medicine.

    The Role of Wearable Technology in Concierge Medicine

    Concierge medicine has always been at the forefront of personalized healthcare, offering more time with physicians, personalized service, and a focus on preventive care. With the advent of wearable technologies like the Oura Ring, concierge medicine is taking a significant leap forward. The Oura Ring, known for its precision in sleep and activity tracking, provides continuous health data that is vital for personalized health interventions.

    During the webinar titled “How to Integrate Oura Ring into Concierge Medicine Practices,” industry experts, including Dr. Jake Deutsch, detailed the practical applications of the Oura Ring in a clinical setting. They discussed how integrating this technology helps in tracking patient health metrics in real-time, thereby enabling tailored healthcare solutions based on accurate and comprehensive data analysis.

    Key Insights from the Webinar

    1. Simplifying Patient Monitoring: Dr. Deutsch explained how Oura Rings simplify the data collection process, making it easier for doctors to monitor vital health metrics such as sleep patterns, activity levels, and heart rate variability. This simplification helps in efficiently managing patient health outcomes and enhancing the effectiveness of concierge medicine practices.

    2. Engaging Patients with Their Health Data: The webinar emphasized the importance of engaging patients with their health data. By understanding and interpreting their health metrics, patients are more likely to take proactive steps towards their health; leading to better health outcomes and enhancing the effectiveness of concierge medicine practices.

    3. Implementing Technology for Enhanced Care: The discussion also covered strategies for the effective implementation of health tracking devices in clinical settings. This includes educating patients about the benefits of the device, integrating it with other monitoring tools, and using platforms like Heads Up to analyze and utilize the data effectively.

    4. Supporting Practice Growth: The successful integration of technologies like the Oura Ring not only improves patient outcomes but also supports the growth of medical practices by enhancing patient engagement and satisfaction. It attracts tech-savvy patients who value modern, data-driven approaches to health management.


    Sign Up Below To Be Notified Of Future Webinars.

    The Impact on Healthcare

    The integration of Oura Ring into concierge medicine is a testament to how digital health tools are becoming integral in managing and improving patient health. This technology fosters a more informed, engaged, and proactive approach to healthcare, which is essential in the age of personalized medicine.

    The use of wearable technology in concierge medicine also illustrates the shift towards a more preventive and continuous care model, where decisions are data-driven and based on real-time health monitoring.

    Conclusion

    The future of healthcare lies in the integration of technology that provides detailed insights into patient health, enabling personalized and precise medical care. As wearable technologies like the Oura Ring become more prevalent in clinical settings, they pave the way for more dynamic and effective healthcare solutions. For concierge medicine practices looking to advance their patient care models, embracing these technologies is not just an option but a necessity.

    For those interested in learning more about the integration of Oura Ring into concierge medicine, schedule a complementary discovery call with our practice expert for a comprehensive understanding of its benefits and implementation strategies.

    “Good Data Ensures Good Outcomes & The Success Of Your Practice!

    Dr. Jake Deutsch
    Oura April 25 1

    Schedule Demo


    Medical Training Highlights:

    Want to try Heads Up in your concierge practice for free?

    Register now to try out one of our starter plans.

    register button

    Oura Ring Teams: An Expert Review on Its Benefits, Shortcomings, and Alternatives.

    Oura Ring Teams: An Expert Review on Its Benefits, Shortcomings, and Alternatives.

    Oura Ring Teams is a solution for employee wellness, healthcare, research, and sports. Teams offers an easy to use interface that allows an overall view of members top Oura scores and the ability to drill down into the extensive metrics for any particular member. 

    Our article will delve into the advantages of Oura Teams and pinpointing areas where it may not completely suit your organization’s needs. Additionally, we will introduce Heads Up Health as a fitting alternative that may better align with the intricate requirements of Concierge Medicine Programs, providing a more nuanced approach to health data integration and wellness [1]. Through this review, we aim to offer a clear, data-driven perspective on Oura Ring Teams and its position in the evolving landscape of corporate health solutions.

    Benefits of Oura Ring Teams

    • High Accuracy in Health Insights:
      • The Oura Ring Gen3 offers unparalleled accuracy in monitoring sleep stages, leveraging heart rate variability, body temperature, and movement [1]. Its algorithms have been validated against medical-grade electrocardiogram (ECG) equipment, showcasing a ‘very high agreement’ in heart rate measurements [1]. This precision is critical for teams aiming to optimize health and performance based on reliable data.
      • Notably, the Oura Ring demonstrates a 99.9% reliability for resting heart rate and 98.4% for heart rate variability when compared to medical-grade ECG, establishing it as a trusted device for health tracking [2].
    • Design and Wearability:
      • The Oura Ring Gen3 distinguishes itself with its sleek, compact design, making it more wearable than bulkier alternatives [1]. Available in six colors, it caters to personal style while ensuring comfort for continuous use [3]. Being water-resistant and made from lightweight titanium, it is both durable and practical for everyday wear [5].
    • Comprehensive Health Tracking and Insights:
      • Beyond sleep analysis, the Oura Ring tracks a wide range of health metrics including activity levels, readiness, heart rate, and temperature trends [5]. It provides three daily scores (Sleep, Activity, and Readiness) which are instrumental in guiding users towards better health outcomes [4]. For teams, this means access to detailed health insights that can inform wellness programs and support proactive health management [3].

    Limitations and Concerns with Oura Ring Teams

    Despite the innovative approach of Oura Ring Teams in enhancing wellness and performance through advanced health insights, several limitations and concerns have emerged, impacting user experience and satisfaction. 

    User Experience with Oura Ring Teams

    User experience with Oura Ring Teams is multifaceted, incorporating ease of use in device wearability and comprehensive support for team management and troubleshooting.

    • Wearability and Design:
      • The Oura Ring is notably lightweight and comes in a range of sizes (6-13), ensuring a comfortable fit for a wide audience. Its availability in five appealing colors – silver, black, matte black, gold, and rose gold – adds a personalized touch, catering to individual style preferences [2].
    • Team Management Features:
      • Oura Ring Teams is designed with team dynamics in mind, offering functionalities such as onboarding, adding/upgrading/removing coaches, creating groups, and managing group members. The group dashboard and analysis features empower team leaders with the tools needed to monitor and analyze user metrics effectively, fostering a data-driven approach to wellness and performance enhancement [2].
    • Support Resources:
      • Recognizing the importance of reliable support, Oura provides helpful articles, FAQs, and a dedicated email (partnersupport@ouraring.com) for inquiries related to Oura Teams. For more general questions regarding the Oura ring or app, users are directed to the end-user help center, ensuring comprehensive assistance is readily available [2].

    This structured approach to user experience underscores Oura Ring Teams’ commitment to not only providing a sophisticated health tracking device but also ensuring its integration into team environments is seamless and supported.

    Alternatives to Oura Ring Teams

    In the landscape of health and wellness dashboards, Heads Up Health emerges as a comprehensive and versatile alternative to Oura Ring Teams, offering a wide array of features tailored to diverse health and wellness needs.

    Advanced Health Monitoring and Insights

    • Heads Up Health provides advanced health monitoring features, encompassing sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, activity tracking, and personalized insights into recovery and overall well-being.
    • Its platform integrates with various health data sources, enabling users to aggregate and analyze data from wearable devices, labs, and other health tracking tools to gain a holistic view of their health.

    Personalized Health Management

    • With Heads Up Health, users can leverage AI-driven insights and personalized suggestions to optimize their health routines, making it a valuable tool for individuals seeking tailored health guidance.

    Holistic Wellness Tracking

    • The platform extends beyond basic health metrics, allowing users to track and manage a wide range of wellness factors including nutrition, biomarkers, and fitness metrics, providing a comprehensive approach to health management.

    User-Friendly Interface and Data Visualization

    • Heads Up Health offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface for seamless data visualization, enabling users to easily interpret and track their health metrics over time.

    Integration and Compatibility

    • The platform is designed to seamlessly integrate with a variety of health and fitness devices, providing users with the flexibility to incorporate data from different sources into their health management strategy.

    Heads Up Health distinguishes itself as a robust alternative to Oura Ring Teams, catering to organizations seeking advanced health monitoring, personalized insights, and a holistic approach to wellness management. Its versatility, user-friendly interface, and integration capabilities make it a compelling choice for those looking to optimize their health journey.

    oura ring left

    Conclusion: Oura Ring Teams

    While the benefits and limitations of Oura Ring Teams lay a substantial foundation for understanding its place in the corporate health sector, the importance of seeking alternatives that fit more snugly with particular program requirements cannot be overstated. Heads Up Health emerges as a compelling option, especially for Concierge Medicine Programs, offering a nuanced approach to health data integration and wellness. For teams looking to make an informed decision on enhancing their wellness programs, considering the insights provided here is crucial.

    For those intrigued and looking to dive deeper into what Heads Up Health offers as an alternative, do not hesitate to Sign Up For A Demo, exploring firsthand how the platform could revolutionize your team’s health and productivity strategy.

    Using the Oura Ring with your patients

    Using the Oura Ring with your patients

    The Oura Ring is one of the most accurate wearable devices for tracking biometrics related to sleep, recovery, movement, and overall wellness. To follow are the various steps you and the patient will need to take to add the Oura Ring to your patient’s portal.

    Connecting the Oura Ring to the Oura Application

     The first thing the patient will need to do once they receive their Oura Ring is download and connect the ring to the Oura application (IOS or Android). Please see Get Started with Oura for step-by-step instructions. 

    Connecting Oura to Heads Up

    Heads Up pulls the patient’s Oura data from the Oura cloud. The patient’s data is sent to the Oura cloud after the patient first opens the Oura application after awakening.  The Oura ring will sync to the Oura cloud each time it is opened during the day. 

    Next, you will need to make sure your patient’s Oura ring is connected to Heads Up. The patient can connect Oura via the Heads Up mobile or web application. 

    Once connected, you should see the patient’s Oura Ring data on Heads Up. If the Oura data is not up to date for any reason, then you should ask the patient to force a manual backup of their Oura Ring data to the Oura cloud using the below instructions:

    1. Ensure WiFi or cellular data is enabled.

    2. Go to the menu Icon_Bars.png on the Home Icon_Home.png tab.

    3. Tap Settings Icon_Settings.png.

    4. Below Account, tap ‘Back up all data.’

    Interpreting the Oura Ring data

    Oura collects and shares a lot of data. Below are a few of the metrics you should focus on.

    Sleep

    There is a modern-day misconception about the importance of sleep. We’ve convinced ourselves that anything else is more productive and frequently hear the expression “you can sleep when you’re dead.” 

    Recently though, sleep science has been gathering steam and proving what should have been intuitive all along: that our bodies didn’t evolve to waste time. Sleep is central to health and performance. Although we remember little from our time asleep, our brains are firing and our bodies are actively repairing. During sleep, the brain consolidates memories and removes toxins, while the body stokes the immune system and regulates metabolism. 

    The sleep hygiene movement is starting to have a social impact and people are waking up to the importance of investing in sleep. If you want to take better care of yourself, start by making your sleep a priority.

    The research is clear that adults should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. This range of sleep hours is based on years of research and is the standard set by the National Sleep Foundation. It’s been determined that chronic sleep deprivation can lead to a dramatic increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease and lead to weight gain, in addition to other health issues. 

    Another important aspect of sleep that can help maintain optimal health and performance is sleep consistency. Ensuring consistency in your bedtime and waking time can make a world of difference. For example, going to bed early and waking up early during workdays can help improve productivity throughout the week.

    Some individuals will wake up tired despite sleeping the appropriate number of hours due to restless sleep. Sleep Disturbances caused by wake-ups, get-ups, and restless time during your sleep can have a big impact on sleep quality and daytime cognitive performance. Restless sleep is less restorative than uninterrupted sleep and it is usually the cause of daytime sleepiness. 

    Disturbances can be caused by various factors, such as stress, noise, partners, pets, or different foods. Here are a few tips to improve your chances of getting restful sleep: 

    • Optimize your sleep environment by making sure your mattress is comfortable and your bedroom is cool (~ 65℉/18℃), quiet, and dark. 
    • Avoid spicy, heavy meals, and alcohol close to bedtime. 
    • Avoid caffeine prior to bedtime and late in the afternoons. 
    • While regular physical activity can make your sleep more restful, try to avoid exercising at least 1-2 hrs before your normal bedtime. 
    • Help your brain and body to wind down by disconnecting from bright screens and dimming bright lights 1-2 hrs before going to sleep.

    Recovery

    From a circadian biology perspective, your day begins when you go to sleep each evening. Sleep allows the human body to recover from the physical and mental demands of the day. There are a number of metrics related to recovery, such as Resting Heart Rate (RHR) and Heart Rate Variability (HRV).

    Resting Heart Rate captures the number of times your heart beats per minute while at rest. An abnormally high or low resting heart rate may mean you’re overly stressed and not getting enough rest, or perhaps your immune system is fighting something. 

    Heart Rate Variability refers to the constant variation in milliseconds between your heartbeats. As popular as the metaphor may be, a healthy heart doesn’t beat as regularly as a metronome—it changes its rhythm with each beat. Some situations increase variation (high HRV), while others cause the intervals between beats to remain constant (low HRV). 

    You may be unaware of these subtle variations, but they reflect your heart’s ability to respond to different situations. HRV can react to stress and/or illness before resting heart rate (RHR), which makes it one of your body’s most powerful signals—providing useful insights into your stress levels, recovery status, and general well-being. As a rule of thumb, high HRV is associated with rest-and-digest, general fitness, and good recovery, while low HRV is associated with fight-or-flight, stress, illness, or overtraining.

    While individual days may be lower after high-intensity exercise, a night out, or a stressful day, if your recent HRV is on par with or better than your average, it’s a sign of good recovery. Monitoring HRV trends shows whether you are adapting or not to the “load” you are exposed to. This load could be new medications or treatment plans, or an increase in training load. < Tips for improving HRV >

    Body Temperature

    Body temperature is a key signal, as your body constantly generates and sheds heat to hover around your ideal temperature. This metric can act as a warning, signaling cold or broader health development like hormonal fluctuations. Very few wearables track this metric. One exception is the Oura Ring, which monitors your skin temperature while you sleep. This form of measurement is very close to your core temperature only while you are sleeping. You can also use one of the many digital thermometers to check your temperature right after you get out of bed. 

    Movement 

    Sitting is considered by many to be the new smoking due to the rising evidence that prolonged sitting can contribute to a range of diseases and conditions including: 

    • Cardiovascular disease 
    • Type 2 Diabetes 
    • Anxiety and depression 
    • Obesity
    • Elevated blood pressure 
    • Higher cholesterol 

    The human body performs better with regular movement throughout the day. Even standing up once every hour and stretching or doing a few jumping jacks can bring enormous health benefits.

    Additional Resources

    Below are links to Oura blog posts and help guides that cover the Oura ring and associated mobile application.

    https://ouraring.com/blog/sleep-score

    https://ouraring.com/blog/readiness-score

    https://ouraring.com/blog/activity-score

    https://ouraring.com/blog/ideal-bedtime

    https://ouraring.com/blog/how-oura-measures-temperature

    https://ouraring.com/blog/nighttime-movement

    If you would like to integrate Oura Ring with Heads Up into your practice, sign up for a free starter plan and discover the efficiencies of integrating fragmented health data across multiple sources can provide.

    < Get Started >