Readiness and recovery scores
One maker-defined number combining sleep, heart and activity data.
Not comparable
Oura Readiness, Whoop Recovery and Garmin Body Battery each use their own inputs, weights and bands.
Oura Readiness
0 to 100. Optimal 85+, Good 70 to 84, Fair 60 to 69, Pay Attention below 60.
Oura
Garmin Body Battery
A 5 to 100 scale; Garmin describes 76 to 100 as high reserve energy.
Garmin
Whoop Recovery
A percentage with colour bands, with HRV weighted most.
WHOOP
What goes in
- Oura: lowest resting heart rate and its timing, body temperature, sleep, yesterday's movement, plus HRV, sleep and activity balance against a two-month baseline.
- Garmin: heart rate variability, stress level, sleep quality and activity.
- Whoop: resting heart rate, HRV, respiratory rate and sleep.
Source: Oura, Garmin, WHOOP
Accuracy
- These scores have no clinical standard.
- They carry the limits of their inputs: resting heart rate, HRV, sleep stages and skin temperature.
Using the trend
- Compare a night or week with your own pattern; a single low day is common.
- A score low for weeks, with tiredness, a higher resting heart rate or disturbed sleep, is worth mentioning to a GP.
Questions
- Is Readiness the same as Recovery or Body Battery?
- No. Each is a different formula owned by its maker, so scores cannot be compared across brands.
- Is a low score a health warning?
- It is not a clinical measure: it reflects your recent data run through the maker's formula. A single low day is common.
Sources
- Readiness Score, Oura
- vivoactive 5 Owner's Manual - Body Battery, Garmin
- How is Recovery calculated?, WHOOP
- Insomnia, NHS
When to get advice: The score is not a symptom; the NHS advises a GP visit if trouble sleeping has lasted months or is hard to cope with.
Cheapest trackers that measure it
- 1
- 3 years
- £79.90
- Price
- £79.90
- Subscription
- Optional
- 2
- 3 years
- £84
- Price
- £84
- Subscription
- Optional
- 3
- 3 years
- £84.99
- Price
- £84.99
- Subscription
- Optional
- 4
- 3 years
- £119
- Price
- £119
- Subscription
- Optional
- 5
- 3 years
- £129.90
- Price
- £129.90
- Subscription
- Optional
- Resting heart rate
- Heart rate variability (HRV)
- Sleep stages and deep sleep
- Blood oxygen (SpO2)
- VO2 max
- Respiratory rate
- Skin temperature
- Steps
Readings are not a diagnosis. If you are worried about your health, speak to your GP, pharmacist or NHS 111. How we earn.