Shaving years off biological age through wearable tech and better sleep

As she nears 40, Sarah Fitzmaurice, a Daily Mail contributor, says her personal metrics tell a different story: her body appears biologically younger than her actual age. She credits a wearable device and a structured set of habits that, she says, helped shave seven years off her biological age, improve sleep, and boost fitness. The account centers on the Whoop brand’s latest Life membership, which includes the Whoop 5.0 band and the Whoop MG band, with features designed to monitor sleep, recovery, and activity in a more integrated way than some consumer wearables.

Fitzmaurice began wearing the latest Whoop technology in May and reports measurable gains. Her VO2 max rose to 43, and her heart rate variability (HRV) increased, while sleep quality reportedly improved even as she managed the demands of a busy household with two young children. She attributes these changes to a combination of increased daily steps, more time spent in resistance training, and targeted efforts during high-intensity workouts. She follows Whoop’s guidance on when to sleep, how long to rest, and when to push her limits, using a routine that also includes reading before bed to support relaxation.

A central feature of her regimen is the app’s menstrual cycle insights, which Fitzmaurice says have helped her tailor training to each phase. The Whoop platform integrates Healthspan analytics, which track how various behaviors may influence aging markers, and she notes the value of cycle-aware planning for workouts and recovery. The app’s journaling tool prompts daily entries about sleep quality, caffeine intake, alcohol consumption, and other habits, enabling users to visualize how small choices accumulate over time. Fitzmaurice emphasizes that there is no medical claim here; she frames the data as a personal fitness and wellness guide rather than a diagnostic tool.

The attribute she most values is the ability to understand how her body responds across the menstrual cycle. By aligning training intensity with cycle phase, she says she can decide when to push harder and when to rest, a practice she considers essential as she approaches perimenopause. The app also offers an AI-powered Whoop Coach that provides tailored suggestions, which Fitzmaurice says have helped her identify dietary adjustments and period-specific recovery strategies. She stresses that this is about informed choices rather than guarantees, and she acknowledges that results can vary between individuals.

The Whoop ecosystem has evolved with two new devices this year, described by the brand as part of a “new chapter.” The Whoop 5.0 and Whoop MG models bring advanced tracking metrics, including ECG readings and blood pressure monitoring, though users must input a baseline reading for the blood pressure feature. Fitzmaurice notes the ECG capability as a notable development, even if she has not found a need to rely on it beyond an initial check for red flags. The updated bands promise 14 days of battery life and can be charged while worn, reducing downtime and ensuring continuous 24/7 tracking.

Beyond individual metrics, Fitzmaurice highlights the social and motivational aspects of the platform. Users can form teams and compare performance with others in the Whoop community, a feature she says adds accountability and a bit of friendly competition. The Life membership bundles the MG device with the broader suite of features, including Healthspan, cycle insights, VO2 Max monitoring, HRV, heart rate data, Whoop Coach, and the capacity to journal more than 160 behaviors to assess their impact on wellness.

She also contrasts Whoop’s approach with other wearables. Fitzmaurice observes that the band does not display a running GPS or pace, which means athletes often supplement it with a dedicated running watch. In her case, she uses the Garmin Forerunner 965 for running performance data while continuing to rely on Whoop for recovery, sleep, and overall wellness feedback. She notes that this separation helps her stay present during workouts without being overwhelmed by continuous stats, a balance she finds conducive to maintaining long-term adherence.

In preparing to manage her training and recovery with more precision, Fitzmaurice has become meticulous about daily journaling and monitoring how different habits affect sleep and stress markers. She admits that some findings can be sobering—for instance, late-night wine appears to correlate with poorer sleep efficiency and higher stress on the body—yet she frames these insights as motivation to adjust routines rather than as punitive measures.

From a consumer perspective, the Whoop One, Peak, and Life memberships offer tiers with varying inclusions and price points. The One and Peak tiers provide access to the Whoop 5.0 band and core analytics, while Life adds the MG device and Healthspan capabilities, along with more comprehensive cycle and blood pressure insights. The company positions the price against premium wearable options, noting that even the top tier is competitive with alternatives that include GPS-enabled smartwatches. For users who value a lightweight, non-intrusive experience, Whoop’s approach—emphasizing recovery, sleep, and long-term trends over constant alerts—continues to resonate with athletes and fitness-focused readers alike.

While Fitzmaurice’s experience is personal and is not representative of every user, it underscores a broader trend: consumers are increasingly using integrated wellness platforms to align recovery, sleep, hydration, and training with personal health data. The emphasis on sleep hygiene, cycle-aware training, and daily habit tracking reflects a shift toward data-informed routines that prioritize sustainable health gains over momentary performance spikes. For those considering wearable tech as a tool for health improvement, experts advise evaluating whether the insights are actionable and whether the device’s ecosystem supports long-term adherence and privacy considerations. In Fitzmaurice’s account, the combination of physiological signals, routine tweaks, and personal accountability appears to have contributed to a measurable improvement in wellness markers, including a younger-appearing biological age by her own assessment.