BOSTON (March 29, 2023) – WHOOP, the human performance company, today announced the addition of its Stress Monitor feature and breathwork protocols, created in partnership with Dr. Andrew Huberman, esteemed professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology, host of the top-ranked Health & Fitness podcast Huberman Lab, and member of the company’s Scientific Advisory Council. Stress Monitor closely tracks daily stress levels in real-time through continuous heart rate variability (HRV) and resting heart rate measurements, and coaches WHOOP members through scientifically-validated approaches to managing physiological stress.
Each member’s current reading, which is converted into a personalized Stress Score, is then compared to their individual HRV baseline from the last 14 days, as well as their typical resting heart rate. When generating a member’s Stress Score, WHOOP is able to delineate between moments of physiological stress and physical strain. The stress-relieving interventions integrated into the WHOOP app help increase alertness (cyclic hyperventilation) and increase relaxation (physiological sigh) that can be customized for length and intensity. As Stress Scores start to climb, members will be notified so that they can manage it in real-time via the app’s breathwork protocols.
“Stress Monitor is one of the most innovative features we’ve ever released,” said Will Ahmed, Founder and CEO of WHOOP. “Our WHOOP members are inherently motivated and ambitious. Stress is a normal part of their lives. This tool will help members understand and manage stress for the first time. In partnership with Dr. Andrew Huberman, we are also launching breathwork interventions to either decrease stress or increase alertness.”
The Stress Monitor feature was inspired by the results of a study Dr. Huberman and his collaborators conducted relating to breathwork enhancing mood, in which they used WHOOP to facilitate the research. In the study, they found that breathwork exercises conducted daily for five minutes showed an improvement in mood and anxiety as well as reduced physiological arousal, defined as respiratory rate, heart rate, and heart rate variability.
Stress Monitor comes as WHOOP continues its mission to unlock human performance, which encompasses both physical and mental health. As a 24/7 fitness wearable and health coach, the stress monitor feature supports members seeking insight on all health factors that can change how they feel day to day.
As WHOOP has been increasing its efforts around mental health, in 2022, the brand released a Mental Health Feature which consists of a short study at the end of each month that provides members with a mental health analysis showing the relationship between mental health, recovery, and behaviors logged in the WHOOP Journal. Items that can now be logged in the Journal include feeling a sense of purpose, experiencing stress, feeling emotionally and mentally stable, and feelings of being in control.
Stress Monitor is available within the WHOOP app. To make it even more convenient than ever before to access WHOOP, it is now available for purchase on Amazon.com, as well as at Best Buy, Dick’s Sporting Goods and WHOOP.com.
ABOUT WHOOP
WHOOP, the human performance company, offers a wearable health and fitness coach to help people achieve their goals. The WHOOP membership provides best-in-class wearable technology, actionable feedback, and recommendations across recovery, sleep, training, and health. WHOOP serves professional athletes, Fortune 500 CEOs, executives, fitness enthusiasts, military personnel, frontline workers, and anyone looking to improve their performance. WHOOP Unite is a comprehensive solution dedicated to supporting organizations across a wide range of industries with coaching, organizational insights, and health programs. Studies show WHOOP can positively change behavior, increase sleep, and improve physiological biomarkers. Founded in 2012, WHOOP is based in Boston and has raised more than $400 million in venture capital. The latest round of financing made WHOOP the world’s most valuable standalone wearables company. Visit WHOOP.com for more information and connect with WHOOP on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.