Manage your stress with Whoop’s new monitoring feature
Both iOS and Android phone users are starting to notice a new metric integrated into their Whoop app. It is aimed at helping individuals better understand and manage their stress levels. This seems to be a gradual rollout as not everyone is seeing the change just yet.
Whoop stress monitor
The stress monitor analyses heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate data in real-time, providing users with an easily digestible metric. For example, if your heart rate is higher than usual and your heart rate variability (HRV) is lower than usual, this can indicate that you are stressed.
Previously, the Whoop app only displayed HRV values during sleep, as the metric can fluctuate significantly with daily activity. However, the activity band does track HRV around the clock.
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Director of Analytics Emily Capodilupo explained the rationale on Whoop podcast episode #29, stating, “While we do take it 24/7 throughout the day, we chose to measure it during sleep when we can mitigate the noise of all the inputs that go into HRV.” She added that presenting an average HRV throughout the day could be misleading, and the focus is on providing actionable data for users.
Easily understandable data
The stress monitor assigns a value ranging from 0 to 3, with higher values indicating increased stress levels. The app compares the collected data to the past 14 days, establishing a baseline to better assess fluctuations in values. The data is also compared to a person’s typical resting heart rate.
A significant concern with any sort of stress metric is the impact of exercise, as physical activity can cause an increase in stress. To address this, Whoop has designed the software to limit the effect of exercise on the stress metric. When users log physical activities such as running or biking, the app adjusts the stress levels based on the intensity of the workout. We are keen to see how accurate this turns out to be in practice.
The Whoop app displays the stress monitor results on two separate charts. The first chart shows the user’s current value, and the second presents a daily timeline. By providing real-time information on stress levels, the feature aims to promote greater awareness and contribute to overall well-being.
Breathing exercises
Whoop CEO expressed on Twitter that he had spent a decade contemplating the development of the stress monitoring feature. In addition to this, the app update also includes breathing exercises developed in collaboration with neuroscientist and human performance expert Dr. Andrew Huberman.
These exercises cater to various needs, such as improving sleep, reducing stress, and maintaining alertness. Users can expect more breathing protocols to be added to the app in the future.
Stress continues to be a significant factor affecting mental and physical health for many of us. The addition of this new feature to the Whoop app is a useful upgrade. It gives users a resource for effectively managing stress and cultivating more balanced lifestyles.
You can check out our hands-on review of Whoop on this link.
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