Whoop and Healthspan: How Wearable Tech Helped One Writer Claim Seven Years Off Her Biological Age

As she nears 40, writer and journalist Sarah Fitzmaurice details how wearable technology has shaped her approach to longevity. She says adopting the Whoop Life membership and its latest updates helped her reduce her biological age and improve overall fitness. Her Whoop age now reads 33, and she notes the pace of aging appears to be slowing. The gains, she says, come from a combination of data-driven coaching, adjusted routines and daily habits that emphasize sleep, movement and exercise quality. The changes have been most evident in VO2 max, which has climbed to 43, and in heart rate variability, which she reports as elevated. Sleep, too, has improved dramatically, even with the demands of two young children in the home. The alignment of routine with Whoop guidance enabled her to increase daily steps, devote more time to resistance training and push into higher intensity zones during workouts, while still prioritizing recovery when the device signals a need for rest. Reading before bed has become a firm habit, as she noticed a link between pre-sleep reading and better sleep quality, and cycle tracking has provided insight into how her body responds across different phases of the menstrual cycle. She emphasizes that there is no guesswork left when planning workouts or rest days; the Whoop app and its AI coach tailor advice to her physiology and lifestyle.

The Healthspan feature, menstrual cycle tracking and sleep monitoring are among the tools she uses most, but the platform offers a wealth of data to analyze depending on goals. She has become meticulous about filling out a daily journal within the app to track how each habit affects wellness, and she concedes that certain late-night habits—such as a glass of wine—show up as increased stress during sleep. The experience has reinforced the idea that consistent data logging can translate into clearer, more informed decisions about training and recovery. While she acknowledges that Whoop is not a medical device and its markers are not equivalent to clinical tests, she argues that the body-wide signals it provides have helped her become fitter than ever by following its guidance and adjusting routines accordingly. In her view, the technology offers a compelling, accessible pathway to wellness for both serious athletes and casual exercisers.

Whoop unveiled two new wearable devices earlier this year as part of a broader update described by the brand as a new chapter. The Whoop 5.0 and Whoop MG introduce deeper health-tracking metrics, including Healthspan, menstrual cycle insights and an ECG monitor with a blood pressure tracker. Users must input a baseline reading for the BP function, but the combination of features represents a notable expansion beyond earlier models. The update promises a 14-day battery life, and the company markets the band as capable of charging while worn to avoid gaps in 24/7 tracking. The MG band also brings an on-demand ECG reading, which is designed to flag potential signs of atrial fibrillation, along with blood pressure insights once a baseline is established. While the ECG and BP features are marketed as advanced capabilities, Fitzmaurice notes that she did not experience red flags in an initial ECG reading and has not relied on the ECG feature for ongoing diagnoses. The practical upshot, she says, is a broader view of how daily choices influence long-term health and aging.

For those who want to compare options, Whoop offers several membership tiers. The One membership includes the Whoop 5.0 band and core metrics such as VO2 Max, HRV and heart rate, plus access to the Whoop Coach and the ability to journal more than 160 behaviors to analyze their impact. The Peak tier adds Healthspan measurements and broader performance analytics, while Life includes everything in One and Peak plus the MG band with its ECG and BP insights. Prices vary by tier and commitment, with entry points around several hundred dollars for a 12-month plan and higher-tier packages priced toward the few hundreds more. Fitzmaurice notes that, in her view, the price is reasonable when weighed against alternatives like premium wearables that also offer health-tracking capabilities. A separate Garmin running watch is used for speed and route data when necessary, underscoring how users often combine devices to cover diverse needs.

The latest generation of Whoop products emphasizes a move beyond simple activity counting toward nuanced, health-oriented insights. Healthspan is positioned as a distinguishing feature, with the ability to see how habits such as sleep duration, hydration and exercise intensity influence aging-related metrics. The menstrual-cycle tracking is described as particularly valuable for understanding when to push training versus when to prioritize recovery, a consideration that can be especially relevant as the perimenopause transition approaches. The app’s cycle insights also tie into broader wellness signals, including skin temperature and sleep patterns that can help users anticipate changes in energy and performance. The community aspect—teams and competitive benchmarking—adds a social dimension for those who want to measure progress against others.

The devices have achieved notable visibility beyond individual users. Public figures and athletes have been spotted wearing Whoop devices in recent years, highlighting the brand’s appeal to a broad audience seeking data-driven wellness. Fitzmaurice stresses that the scale of data offered by Healthspan and cycle insights has helped make her routine more transparent and actionable. She concedes that while there is a learning curve to interpreting the metrics, the ongoing journaling and AI-enabled guidance provide a structured framework for managing health as life becomes busier and more demanding.

Looking ahead, Fitzmaurice says she plans to continue using the technology as she enters her 40s, relying on data-driven signals to navigate what may come with perimenopause and to sustain fitness gains. She emphasizes the value of daily reflection through the app’s journal, noting how small decisions—such as hydration, sleep routines or a restorative rest day—can accumulate into meaningful improvements over time. While she remains mindful of device limitations and the absence of medical-grade diagnostics, she asserts that the insights gained from Whoop have offered lasting clarity for her routines and health priorities. In her view, the story is less about chasing a single metric than about assembling a holistic picture of wellness through consistent data, personalization and informed experimentation.