Discovery Vitality And ŌURA Partner To Make Sleep The New Frontier Of Preventive Health

Discovery Vitality has launched a ground-breaking global first by integrating sleep into health, wellness, and insurance through a new partnership with ŌURA and the introduction of Vitality Sleep Rewards.

Discovery Vitality has joined forces with ŌURA to bring science-backed sleep tracking and rewards to South Africa, making sleep the newest pillar of holistic wellbeing.
Claims for sleep disorders in the Discovery Health Medical Scheme have grown 2.8 times from 2008 to 2024, with insomnia accounting for 55% of those claims in 2024.
The exclusive ŌURA partnership blends cutting-edge wearable technology with a rewards-driven approach to better health and safer living.
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Discovery Vitality unveiled a world-first innovation that could change the way South Africans and perhaps the world – think about health, wellness, and even insurance. In an announcement that blends cutting-edge technology, behavioural science, and lifestyle design, Discovery launched the Vitality Sleep Score and Vitality Sleep Rewards in Sandton, while also revealing an exclusive partnership with ŌURA.

A Ring That Does More Than Shine

Founded in Finland in 2013 and now headquartered in San Francisco, ŌURA has become synonymous with smart, subtle, and science-backed health tracking. The Oura Ring – already worn by millions globally – continuously tracks over 50 health metrics, including heart rate variability, temperature, blood oxygen levels, and, most notably, sleep quality.

The lightweight titanium ring uses Smart Sensing technology to deliver actionable insights into how well you sleep, recover, and manage stress. Its findings are trusted by thousands of researchers, clinicians, and wellness professionals, and its science has been validated against medical gold standards. ŌURA’s CEO, Tom Hale, describes the partnership with Discovery as “a natural fit”.

At ŌURA, we believe that health should be a daily practice. Together with Discovery Vitality, we’re bringing science-backed, personalised insights to millions of members across South Africa to take control of their sleep, recovery, and overall wellbeing.

// ŌURA’s CEO, Tom Hale

Discovery Vitality — ŌURA, the Finnish-founded smart ring company that has become a global leader in wearable health technology. Image: ŌURA

The Science Of Sleep: Discovery’s Data-Driven Wake-Up Call

The announcement coincides with Discovery’s latest research report, “The Sleep Factor: A Data-Led Blueprint for Better Health”, which explores the profound role sleep plays in physical, mental, and even societal wellbeing. Drawing from an enormous dataset of 47 million sleep records, enriched with clinical and behavioural data, Discovery’s findings are as eye-opening as they are sobering.

Poor sleep, the report shows, has wide-reaching consequences. People who don’t sleep enough or regularly face a 22% higher risk of death, as well as significantly increased risks of diabetes, heart disease, and depression. Sleep-deprived employees are more prone to workplace errors, and nearly half of the impact of sleep on accident risk is due to chronic poor rest. Discovery Vitality CEO Dinesh Govender says these findings have prompted a strategic evolution within the company’s ecosystem.

Measuring And Rewarding Rest

Starting in 2026, Discovery Vitality will make sleep a measurable, incentivised behaviour, integrated across Discovery Vitality, Discovery Health, and Discovery Insure. Members will be able to track their rest using wearable devices – like the ŌURA Ring 4, Apple Watch, Garmin, or Samsung wearables – or through the new Vitality Sleep Tracker on the Discovery app. Their results will generate a Vitality Sleep Score, a proprietary metric that quantifies sleep regularity, duration, and quality. Govender explains that Discovery’s longitudinal data indicates a clear pattern.

Individuals who consistently achieve seven hours of sleep and maintain a bedtime within a one-hour window of their typical onset are associated with more favourable health outcomes. This pattern underpins our 1–7 sleep heuristic.

// Discovery Vitality CEO, Dinesh Govender

This approach is designed to simplify complex sleep data into a single actionable score, guiding members toward meaningful, sustainable sleep improvements.

From Steps To Sleep: The Next Evolution In Rewards

It’s been nearly a decade since Vitality Active Rewards revolutionised health engagement by turning movement into motivation. Now, Discovery is applying the same behavioural economics principles to sleep through Vitality Sleep Rewards. Members will receive weekly personalised sleep goals, dynamically adjusted based on their unique sleep patterns and health data. As they meet these goals, they’ll earn Discovery Miles or partner rewards, similar to the structure that has made Vitality Active Rewards so successful.

The Vitality Sleep Score will be calculated nightly, comparing metrics against optimal ranges. Higher scores will indicate healthier sleep, and consistent improvement will translate into tangible rewards – proving that, for once, you really can get paid to sleep.

We have long rewarded physical activity and healthy eating. Now, with the launch of Vitality Sleep Rewards, we will empower members to take control of their sleep health in the same way.

// Discovery Vitality CEO, Dinesh Govender

Sleep Meets Health, Insurance, And Road Safety

The ripple effect of this initiative will extend well beyond personal wellness. Discovery is integrating sleep health across its broader business units – each using data-driven incentives to improve outcomes. Discovery Health will embed sleep into its Personal Health Pathways, the company’s AI-driven digital health platform. Members will receive personalised sleep goals, clinical interventions, and access to professional consultations when at risk of sleep disorders.

To our knowledge, Discovery Health Medical Scheme is the first health insurer globally to have sleep actions and rewards for members, and we’re incredibly proud to deliver on our purpose in this way.

// Discovery Health CEO, Dr Ron Whelan

Meanwhile, Discovery Insure will integrate sleep tracking into Vitality Drive, recognising the undeniable link between sleep and road safety. Drivers who achieve consistent, quality sleep will earn Vitality Drive Sleep Points, unlocking additional fuel rewards and higher status levels.

We now know that factors outside the vehicle, such as sleep quality, are just as critical in preventing accidents as driver behaviour. Vitality Drive’s Sleep Points deepen our commitment to creating safer drivers for the benefit of all road users.

// Discovery Insure CEO, Robert Attwell

A New Era Of Preventive Healthcare

Discovery’s integration of sleep into its ecosystem marks a foundational shift in how wellness, insurance, and preventive healthcare are connected. By turning sleep – a basic human function – into a measurable, incentivised, and data-rich behaviour, the company is redefining what it means to live well.

This partnership makes the ŌURA Ring 4 available in South Africa for the first time, exclusively to Discovery Vitality members with a qualifying Discovery Bank account. Beginning mid-October 2025, members can access select styles of the ring through a fully funded benefit or at up to 25% off retail price – a move that positions Discovery at the forefront of integrating sleep into its health and insurance ecosystem.

For members signing up from 8 October 2025, Discovery is offering an introductory period where they can enjoy their ŌURA Ring 4 without penalty fees until 1 April 2026. Thereafter, monthly payments will depend on how consistently members achieve their sleep goals – essentially rewarding you in your sleep.

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