We know sleep and physical activity are crucial for overall health, but how do they affect one another? On today’s episode of the WHOOP Podcast, WHOOP SVP of Research Algorithms and Data, Emily Capodilupo sits down with Sleep and Circadian Scientist Josh Leota to break down the latest WHOOP study on how intense exercise and timing affect sleep—and how sleep, in turn, influences your ability to train. Josh shares his insights on two major peer-reviewed studies, using WHOOP to analyze data on sleep and physical activity. The results? The closer to bedtime you train, the more your sleep is affected. Whether you're an early bird, night owl, or somewhere in between, Emily and Josh offer science-backed strategies to optimize both sleep and physical performance without sacrificing either.

(00:33) Using WHOOP For Data Collection In Research Studies

(02:43) The Study: High Intensity Training’s Effects on Circadian Rhythm

(05:05) WHOOP Podcast Rapid Fire Questions

(06:06) Do Late Night Workouts Affect Sleep Quality?

(10:44) The Hawthorne Effect: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

(12:57) How Do Sleep Patterns Predict Next Day Performance?

(17:32) What Happens To Exercise When Sleep Cycles Are Disrupted?

(23:47) Early Birds vs Night Owls: Why When You Train Matters

(30:21) How To Optimize Sleep and Exercise as a Busy Individual

(33:26) Advice & Practical Takeaways From The Study

(42:59) What’s Next? Foreshadowing Future WHOOP Studies

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What happens to your body—and your behavior—when you start wearing WHOOP every day?

In this episode, WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist, Dr. Kristen Holmes is joined by WHOOP Senior Research Scientist, Dr. Greg Grosicki to break down the results of a groundbreaking new study conducted by WHOOP, analyzing the data from 12,000 WHOOP members over 12 weeks. The study reveals a clear relationship between WHOOP wear frequency and improvements in key health and performance metrics like sleep consistency, duration, and quality, RHR and HRV, and overall physical fitness. Dr. Holmes and Dr. Grosicki break down the study, science, and implications of the findings on long-term health and longevity.

The Study:

Wearing WHOOP More Frequently Is Associated with Better Biometrics and Healthier Sleep and Activity Patterns

Related Episodes:

Understanding GLP-1: The Latest Research From WHOOP with Dr. Greg Grosicki

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Improving VO₂ Max For Longevity and Performance with Dr. Greg Grosicki

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This week on the WHOOP Podcast, WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist, Dr. Kristen Holmes sits down with Dr. Gina Poe, neurobiologist and expert in REM sleep and memory consolidation. Together, Dr. Holmes and Dr. Poe unpack what actually happens when you’re asleep and why sleep is essential not just for memory, but emotional resilience, longevity, and high performance.

This episode breaks down the different stages of sleep and how they reshape the brain, regulate the nervous system, and actually clean the brain. Dr. Holmes and Dr. Poe provide insight on daily habits to optimize sleep quality, including timing, exercise, and stress regulation.

(00:23) Introduction to Dr. Gina Poe

(00:58) Dr. Poe’s Journey to Sleep Research

(06:58) Sleep Timing in Relation to The Body’s Physiological Rhythm

(12:29) Sleep Pressure and Melatonin Production

(14:52) REM Sleep Reshaping the Brain Each Night

(21:03) Effects of Short Sleep Cycles

(30:17) Relationship Between Skipped Sleep Cycles and Neurodegenerative Disease

(31:36) The Importance of Sleep Spindles & Exercise on Sleep Performance

(40:46) How Sleep Spindles Change Over A Lifespan

(43:44) Daily Practices That Promote Healthy Sleep

(49:15) Shift Work, Sleep Cycles, & Human Growth Hormone

(55:01) Metabolism and Sleep Cycles: What Happens To The Body’s Energy Storage

(59:21) Dr. Poe’s Dream Sleep Study

(01:01:09) What Healthy Sleep Looks Like

(01:05:38) Rapid Fire Takeaways

Dr. Gina Poe:
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Related Episodes:

The Science of Stress & Sleep For Optimal Performance with Dr. Bill von Hippel

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How to Sleep Better with Dr. Shelby Harris

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Looking to improve your VO₂ Max? This week’s episode gives you everything you need to know about one of the latest WHOOP Metrics. WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist, Dr. Kristen Holmes sits down with WHOOP Senior Research Scientist, Dr. Greg Grosicki to define VO₂ Max and offer insights on its importance for healthspan and human performance.

As part of the How To Series, Dr. Grosicki shares his knowledge on how VO₂ Max affects musculoskeletal load, metabolic flexibility and aerobic capacity, and the important training tips to improve this metric.

(00:50) How WHOOP Captures VO₂ Max

(05:04) Studying VO₂ Max: Creating The Dataset

(6:05) Developing The WHOOP VO₂ Max Feature

(9:08) How WHOOP Studies VO₂ Max

(10:46) Defining VO₂ Max

(12:08) Impact of Musculoskeletal Load on VO₂ Max

(19:32) The Physiological Factors Determining VO₂ Max

(26:07) Inner Ad

(26:40) What Is An Optimal VO₂ Max

(31:27) Performance and Increasing VO₂ Max

(40:13) Metabolic Flexibility

(41:39) Training For VO₂ Max

(48:16) Quality of Reps As It Relates to VO₂ Max

(49:39) Impact of Training Consistently

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Paul Larsen - Zone 2 Training:

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This month, on the WHOOP Podcast Longevity Series, WHOOP SVP of Research, Algorithms, and Data, Emily Capodilupo sits down with Dr. Linda Fried. Dr. Fried is a geriatrician, Dean of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, and Founder of Experience Corps, a nationwide volunteer program for adults over the age of 50 to become literacy tutors in elementary schools. Emily and Dr. Fried discuss the effects of frailty, how to prevent it, and ways to take control of the aging process. Dr. Fried also discusses her path to public health, the lifestyle changes that promote longevity, and the powerful role of purpose and intergenerational connection in healthy aging.

(00:30) Dr. Fried on Defining and Researching Frailty

(05:44) Identifying Frailty & Frailty Prevention

(07:57) Manifestations of Aging in 20 & 30 Year Olds

(08:58) How Much of The Aging Process Is Within Our Control?

(11:34) Dr. Fried’s Journey to Public Health

(13:58) Positive Lifestyle Impacts on Longevity

(16:10) Experience Corps: Influence of Volunteer Work on The Aging Population

(24:27) What Society Is Missing To Support Healthy Aging

(25:44) Re-connecting Across Generations

(34:02) The Starting Points for Change

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Dr. Jessica Shepherd returns to the WHOOP Podcast for this month’s episode of the How To Series. Dr. Shepherd joins WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance, Principal Scientist, Dr. Kristen Holmes to redefine menopause. Dr. Jessica Shepherd is an OBGYN, menopause expert, and author of Generation M, guiding women through the various stages and lifestyle changes that come with menopause and peri-menopause. Dr. Holmes and Dr. Shepherd bring attention to the symptoms to look out for, create an understanding of the power of early preparation, and establish the importance of strength training and protein intake to support hormonal health. This episode brings to light the need for advocacy in the health space for menopause and peri-menopause care.

(00:37) Introducing Dr. Jessica Shepherd

(01:14) Reframing Menopause: Dr. Shepherd Personal Mission

(03:22) Recognizing The Signs: Symptoms of Perimenopause & Menopause

(04:10) Staying Ahead of Symptoms

(06:55) What Women in Their 30s Should Know

(09:26) Protein & Power: Building Strength for Hormonal Health

(12:14) The Positive Role of Daily Activity

(15:11) Menopause As A Metabolic Disease

(19:12) Lifestyle Changes To Promote Metabolic Health

(23:10) Important Biomarkers for Hormonal Health

(29:44) Dr. Shepherd’s Toolkit For Women with Perimenopause

(33:11) Estrogen Creams: Benefits and Practices

(36:01) Understanding Hormone Replacement Therapy

(39:27) Estrogen’s Effects on Cognitive Health, Sleep, & Longevity

(42:14) When To Start Taking Estrogen

(45:27) The Healthy Choices That Ease Menopause Symptoms

(47:57) Birth Control & Peri-Menopause: Detecting Symptoms

(51:15) Advocacy for Peri-Menopause and Menopause Care

(55:15): Centering Dialogue Around Menopause

(01:00:35): The Future of Research in Women’s Health

(01:05:52): WHOOP as a Tool for Support

(01:10:10) Exercise Options to Improve Overall Health

(01:11:37) Dr. Shepherd’s Closing Message

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Changing the Conversation Around Menopause with Dr. Jessica Shepherd

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Brittany Mahomes returns on this week’s episode of the WHOOP Podcast! Brittany joins WHOOP Founder and CEO, Will Ahmed, to reflect on welcoming her third child and expanding her family with Super Bowl Champion, Patrick Mahomes. As a former professional athlete, Brittany shares the important role health and fitness play in her and her children’s lives. Brittany outlines her top tips for new moms, the important role of WHOOP in helping her stay fit, and what it means to be a mother of three.

(00:28) Unboxing WHOOP MG: Menstrual Cycle Insights, & Healthspan

(01:41) Brittany on Becoming a Mother of Three

(02:40) The Secret to Restful Sleep While Pregnant

(03:48) Brittany’s Top Tips for New Moms

(04:39) Brittany’s Go To Exercises While Pregnant

(05:25) WHOOP Data and Pregnancy

(06:23) Brittany’s WHOOP Metrics

(07:10) Labor Preparation and Expectations

(08:15) Brittany’s Post-Partum Experience

(09:00) The Importance of Breathing Exercises

(10:37) Regaining Energy After Giving Birth

(11:21) Diet Evolution: Pregnancy to Post-Partum

(12:16) Stress Management as a Mother of Three

(13:09) Brittany’s Favorite WHOOP Feature

(13:28) Brittany’s Wake Up Call

(14:37) Passing Down a Focus on Health and Fitness To Your Kids

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On this week’s episode of the WHOOP Podcast, WHOOP Global Head of Human Performance Principal Scientist, Dr. Kristen Holmes, sits down with WHOOP Senior Scientist Dr. Bill von Hippel to discuss the science behind stress and sleep and its impact on performance. Dr. Bill von Hippel is a scientist, author, and renowned social psychologist and evolutionary specialist. In today’s episode, Dr. Holmes and Dr. von Hippel discuss cardiac responses to threats and challenges and the core 4 circadian behaviors that help sleep consistency.

(00:36) Intro to Cardiac Responses and Daily Threats and Challenges

(03:08) Using WHOOP to Conduct Studies

(09:09) Stress Monitor: Understanding Stress vs Challenge

(11:10) Stress + Sleep Data on Shiftworkers

(23:27) Low Fit vs High Fit: Use Case for Strain Coach

(32:26) Amplifying Effects of Exercise

(37:18) HRV-CV as a Predictor of Strain Load

(43:03) Behaviors That Improve Sleep

(51:06) Core 4: Circadian Behaviors That Help Sleep Consistency

(58:49) The Impacts of Social Jetlag

(01:02:53) Negative Impacts of Oversleeping

(01:07:2) High HRV Indications and HRV Improvements

References:

WHOOP Wear Frequency Study

Shiftwork Biometric Analysis Study

Dr. Bill von Hippel:

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The Social Paradox: Autonomy, Connection, and Why We Need Both to Find Happiness

The Social Leap: The New Evolutionary Science of Who We Are, Where We Come From, and What Makes Us Happy

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