Latest news with #Whoop
Health Line
8 hours ago
- Health
- Health Line
7 Key Metrics to Track for Better Heart Health
Tracking key heart health metrics every day helps you understand how your lifestyle affects your cardiovascular system and empowers you to take proactive steps toward better heart health. Heart disease often develops silently over time, shaped by daily habits and stressors. However, many risk factors, like elevated heart rate, poor sleep, or lack of movement, can be detected early and addressed with simple changes. As a result of wearable devices and health-tracking apps, more people can now monitor cardiovascular markers from home and use that data to guide preventive care. By tracking key heart health metrics each day, you gain insight into how your body responds to sleep, physical activity, stress, and how well it recovers after exertion. This awareness can help you make smarter choices and spot patterns before they become problems. Here are seven important metrics to track, what they reveal, and how to use them effectively. Heart rate per step (HRPS or DHRPS) Heart rate per step measures how many heartbeats occur for every step you take during the day. It's calculated by dividing your total heartbeats by your step count. This metric matters because a higher heart rate per step has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and diabetes. It reflects not just how much you move, but also how much effort your heart puts into supporting that movement, giving insight into how efficiently your body handles everyday activity. General ranges: Under 0.75: typically low risk 0.75–1.0: moderate Over 1.0: may indicate elevated risk, especially if sustained Most fitness trackers that measure both daily heart rate and steps, such as Apple Watch, Fitbit, and Garmin, can provide the data needed to calculate HRPS. Heart rate variability (HRV) HRV reflects how much your heart rate naturally fluctuates between beats. A higher HRV generally means better cardiovascular adaptability and nervous system balance. What affects HRV: sleep quality mental and physical stress alcohol imbalanced diet overtraining or lack of recovery How to improve it: Prioritize consistent, high quality sleep. Build in rest days between high intensity workouts. Use breathing exercises to manage stress. Most modern wearables, including Whoop, Oura Ring, Apple Watch, and Garmin, offer HRV tracking during sleep or periods of rest. Resting heart rate (RHR) Resting heart rate is your pulse when the body is at complete rest. It's a direct indicator of overall cardiovascular efficiency. A healthy range for most adults is 50 to 100 beats per minute (BPM). However, lower ranges are often seen in more active or fit individuals. To track your RHR, you can: Measure it first thing in the morning, before getting out of bed. Use the same time and conditions each day for consistency. Avoid caffeine, stress, or movement right before measuring. Changes to watch for: a sudden increase of 10 or more beats per minute over several days a resting heart rate consistently above 100 bpm a resting heart rate below 40 bpm (if you're not a trained athlete) These changes may signal stress, illness, or changes in cardiovascular health that should be discussed with a healthcare professional. Most smartwatches and fitness bands with 24/7 heart rate monitoring can measure RHR automatically, especially overnight. Blood pressure variability (BPV) While most people track average blood pressure, daily variability in readings is also important. It reflects how well your body manages vascular pressure throughout different situations. Why it matters: Higher BPV is linked to stroke and heart disease. One-time readings may miss warning signs that show up only through frequent monitoring. Monitoring BPV can provide insight into how your body handles daily challenges. Most wearables don't yet provide accurate blood pressure data, but the Omron HeartGuide is one of the few FDA-cleared devices recommended for tracking BPV at home. It uses a built-in inflatable cuff to take clinically validated wrist-based measurements. Sleep quality indicators Sleep is critical for heart repair, hormone regulation, and recovery. Poor sleep can increase heart rate, raise blood pressure, and lower HRV. Key sleep metrics to monitor: total sleep time (7–9 hours recommended for adults) time in deep and REM sleep frequency of sleep interruptions or restlessness Improving sleep often leads to better performance across other heart health metrics. Tips to improve sleep: Keep a consistent sleep-wake schedule. Limit screens and stimulants before bed. Keep your sleeping environment dark, cool, and quiet. Sleep trackers can give insight into your sleep stages, but focus more on overall trends than nightly detail. Daily step count and movement patterns Daily steps are important, but so is how often you move throughout the day. Even if you exercise, sitting for long periods can reduce cardiovascular benefits. How to stay active during the day: Set reminders to stand or move every 30 to 60 minutes. Take short walks after meals or during work breaks. Aim for 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day, adjusted for your age and activity level. Pedometers like the Fitbit Inspire 2, 3D TriSport Walking Pedometer, and OZO Fitness SC2 offer reliable step tracking in both simple and feature-rich designs. Getting the most accurate data from your wearable The accuracy of wearable devices varies by metric and how you use them. To truly benefit from daily heart health tracking, it's important to understand their strengths and limitations, and follow best practices to maximize accuracy. To improve the quality of your heart health data: Wear your device snugly and in the recommended position, usually just above the wrist bone, to maintain good sensor contact. Sync your device regularly with its app to keep firmware updated and data accurate. If possible, calibrate your device's readings by comparing them with validated tools such as a manual blood pressure cuff or chest strap heart rate monitor. Avoid moving excessively during measurements and try to be still and relaxed, especially for blood pressure and HRV readings. Use your wearable as a tool to track long-term trends and patterns rather than expecting pinpoint medical accuracy from each individual reading. By following these steps, you can get the most meaningful insights to support your heart health without over-relying on any single measurement. Integrating your metrics No single number tells the full story. The real value comes from understanding how your heart metrics relate to one another. Look for patterns like: poor sleep followed by low HRV and high resting heart rate improved recovery after better hydration or stress management step count decreases alongside rising HRPS Track consistently for a few weeks to establish your personal baseline. If patterns persist or worsen, you can bring your data to your doctor. Many apps now allow secure data sharing and integration with electronic health records. Be mindful of privacy settings and choose apps with strong protections.
Khaleej Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Abu Dhabi to host UAE's first Hyrox event — here's what to wear to it and why
This weekend, thousands of the UAE's fitness fans will descend on the capital's Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre for the emirate's first Hyrox event. The fitness race tests speed, stamina, endurance and — let's be honest — how fierce you can look in an Instagram post, while pushing a 100kg sled down a 50m track. Fuelled by social media arguably as much as amino acids, Hyrox might be billed as showing off what your muscles can achieve, but it's as much about showing off your actual muscles. In Australia, men have run (and won) the event in Speedo-style swim briefs. I'm not sanctioning such skimpy displays of strength in Abu Dhabi; however, that doesn't mean that participants can't elevate their Hyrox style to the height of their wall ball throws. With 8K of running interspersing the workout stations, functionality is as important as fashion when it comes to race day style, but there's no reason you should compromise on either. Here are my top fitness race buys to get your pulse racing: DATA ON POINT I've worn a Whoop since 2020 — incidentally, the same year the wearable fitness device alerted me to having Covid days before a test confirmed it. Early iterations of the screen-free wearable tracked strain, recovery, and sleep in granular detail. This year, Whoop's 5.0 edition adds ageing, heart rhythm, and blood pressure metrics for, arguably, the most accurate longevity-optimising personal data commercially available. The device operates on a subscription model, costing Dh1,379 a year for Whoop's top-tier Life membership, which offers all the new features. Sweat in one of the standard knit bands, then switch for a leather style to lift your fitness look outside of the gym. SPEED SHOES With a Hyrox race incorporating running, strength and agility, you'll need a shoe that's lightweight, stable and teched-up to give you a time advantage. Some long-distance running shoes might be too bouncy for corner turns and won't offer enough stability for the sandbag lunges or hold traction on the sled stations, while a CrossFit-style shoe is likely too stiff for the runs. Puma, an official Hyrox partner, has engineered its Deviate Nitro 3 shoes specifically for the demands of a Hyrox race. The Elite edition features a full-length carbon plate to propel you through the eight 1k runs, and frankly, I'd take all the help I could get. ATHLETIC AI Okay, so you can't get artificial intelligence (AI) to go to the gym for you, but we are starting to see how it will be harnessed in the fitness arena. Oakley's new athletically-styled Meta HSTN glasses play motivational music via the open-ear speakers, record race videos hands-free (and post them to your Stories), while its in-built AI assistant answers questions about your pace and performance. Think of them as the most personal of trainers. FIT KIT The average Hyrox competitor takes around an hour and a half to complete the course, so your outfit needs to last the distance (and look good on the winner's podium). Dubai-based brand Allez Kit's hybrid workout top combines strong built-in support (no need for a separate sports bra), cooling fabric and a compressive construction to propel performance, and was designed specifically for the combination of speed and strength that Hyrox entails. Elaf Jamal wore it to take first place in the Hyrox Sharjah women's over 40s open doubles earlier this year, and says: 'I felt like the prettiest woman in the world.' Also, one of the fastest. Puma's Hyrox-branded Cloudspun 3' shorts are a neat way to finish the look, and monochrome styling matches the black-and-white winners' flags. FASHION FLEX There are gym bags, and then there is Saint Laurent's jacquard logo duffle bag. Its sporty styling is offset with an unapologetically bold logo that semaphores a fusion of fashion and fitness. Just don't let your electrolyte drink leak all over the reassuringly expensive interior. HEALTH GOALS Launched earlier this year to a flurry of Blend it Like Beckham headlines, IM8's one-and-done daily supplement boasts 92 ingredients, was co-founded by David Beckham, and developed with experts from the Mayo Clinic, NASA, and the University of Oxford. Intended to replace the multitude of supplements that biohackers (and Beckham) find themselves knocking back each day, the powdered drink covers all the essentials, from hydration to gut health. Also athlete-backed, and with US military contracts to boot, Momentous's 'Fuel' sachets provide a carb and electrolyte mix for workouts lasting over 60 minutes. HAUTE HYDRATION The most photogenic Hyrox race in the world took place in Paris's Grand Palais earlier this year, with competitors bathed in dappled sunlight filtering through the glass dome roof. Abu Dhabi, in July, may not be quite as compatible with the elements, but for a piece of je ne sais quoi along the course, Dior's 'Plan de Paris' water bottle maps out the city's streets, so while you're battling through the Farmer's Carry you can imagine the 16kg kettlebells are actually shopping bags laden with couture. PODIUM FINISH The women's Euros footballers favour a high pony, but the hairstyle of choice for Hyrox-style fitness races is a double French braid, which has the benefits of looking fierce, while staying put throughout gruelling exertion, impermeable to sweat. The fitness pros I know swear by Slick Stick as an alt to hairspray and kirby grips; a neat mascara wand for your hair that tames flyaways and keeps hairlines sleek and polished. To boost energy and support cell growth, a spoonful of Cymbiotika's Liposomal Vitamin B12 and B6 will rev up your reps, and once you've crossed the finish line a spray of The Neu Co.'s Magnesium Ease counteracts the build-up of lactic acid and calcium, ensuring post-race recovery.
Business Insider
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
I'm the CEO of Pressed Juicery. I don't prioritize work-life balance or eat bread if I'm not in Paris — here's a day in my life.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Justin Nedelman, the 48-year-old CEO of Pressed Juicery based in Los Angeles. It's been edited for length and clarity. I began my career as a retail real-estate developer, building shopping centers and hotels. I then started a restaurant group out of the ashes of my real-estate company in the 2008 recession. I was the CEO of Eureka! Restaurant Group from 2009 to 2021. Pressed Juicery was doing a formal CEO search, and I knew a board member, so I decided to put my hat in the ring. My wellness background, experience, and consumer-oriented mindset made it a perfect match. I continued in real estate and hospitality until June 2023, when I became the CEO of Pressed Juicery. Here's what a typical day looks like. BI's Power Hours series gives readers an inside look at how powerful leaders in business structure their workday. See more stories from the series here, or reach out to editor Lauryn Haas to share your daily routine. Monday to Friday, I wake up naturally around 4:15 a.m. From 4:15 to 4:25 a.m., I drink a 10-oz glass of water followed by a 5-oz Americano or Pressed cold brew. This is my only dose of caffeine per day. I drink while having quiet time to think and prepare for the day. From 4:25 to 4:35 a.m., I have five minutes of meditation and breathwork to relax and energize. I check my heart rate variability and resting heart rate from the previous night on my Whoop. I then catch up on business and world news, stock market information, and social media. I work out from 4:45 to 5:45 a.m., and it takes me 10 minutes to drive to one of the three gyms I belong to. I have multiple memberships because I choose where to work out based on my time and mindset, and I don't want to have an excuse that the gym is closed. I'll do a CrossFit-style workout with a weighted vest or use a jump rope intermittently between sets. I do weights and quasi-cardio. My workouts are more intense and diverse on the weekends. I let myself rest every seven to 10 days, when I sleep in until 5:30 a.m., even on the weekends. After working out, I help my wife make breakfast and lunch for our children I drive back home to shower. From 6:15 to 7 a.m., I drink a 20-oz water and a decaf Americano with my wife and help her make breakfast and lunch for the children. My children are in high school now. Mornings with my wife and kids are important. I skip breakfast every three days after a hard workout to do intermittent fasting. For the days I eat, I have a Pressed Greens juice, an avocado, or grilled cold fish with salad, and nonfat Greek yogurt with fruit and seeds. I always start with fat and protein over carbs, as this energizes me. Once a week, I do a 24-hour fast to reset my metabolism. I also regularly do cleanses. I drop my son off at school and head to the office by 8:30 a.m. It takes me 30 minutes to drive to the office. When I joined Pressed, the office had a flexible policy of two days a week. I'm a big believer in bringing people together for collaboration, so I'm in the office at least four days a week. When I'm not in the office, I'm in the field, either looking at stores or competitors and learning what's happening in CPG or traveling to our manufacturing facility. I don't have spontaneous calls with anyone. My style is more structured and planned, and I have one-on-ones with folks reporting to me. I even plan time to not have anything planned. I probably don't take enough time for lunch, but I eat with our team We cater lunch for the Pressed team, and it's usually a plant-forward, healthy meal. It's an incentive and a perk of coming into the office. It's helpful to sit with folks from different departments, and it's efficient. I'll eat with the team when I can, a meal with high protein, some greens, a thoughtful carb intake, and no bread unless I'm in Paris. If I visit stores, it's usually planned weeks in advance with our operations leader, and we're not there to audit them. We meet with the regional operations and store management teams to analyze how good our marketing is and look at opportunities. My wife will say I leave the office too late, but I try to leave by 6 p.m. I get home between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. and try to have dinner with the family — there are days I'm later. My wife cooks, but occasionally, we'll order in. Our dinners center on protein, vegetables, and a sensible carb. We'll also go to Pressed stores sometimes. The kids like that, and it's fun to get their perspective. They have good insight into what's relevant for their age group. I don't believe in the separation of work and life. For me, it's about work-life integration, not work-life balance. On Thursday evenings, I play tennis with my wife or daughter, followed by time in the sauna. On Fridays, I swim or surf with my son in the ocean. Fitness through swimming, surfing, mountain biking, tennis, or hiking keeps life exciting. After dinner, I'll watch a show or read a book with my wife I'm reading Elon Musk's biography, and I'm having my son read it, too — I try to connect with him that way. My wife and I will also catch up on the day without the kids and watch our favorite show, The White Lotus. I also like the BBC and will watch some news to catch up on what the world is saying about America. I'm a fan of social media, but I limit my consumption. I enjoy scrolling through Instagram. I study how brands present themselves, and I'm always fascinated. I'll also take a Pressed calm shot before bed. I aim to go to sleep at 10 p.m. I try not to do intense work on the weekends I try not to do work that requires multiple hours of concentration because if I do, it's hard to pivot back into family and personal time. I do light work that requires 30 minutes of focus or less. My weekends are committed to hanging out with family and integrating fitness. I came to Pressed because I love wellness and fitness, and Pressed is an extension of those. It's easy to come to work every day and talk about this seven days a week because it doesn't feel like work — it feels like I'm just living my life. Everything is intentional. Self-prioritization as a leader is important.
CNBC
16-07-2025
- Health
- CNBC
Whoop says FDA is ‘overstepping its authority' with warning about blood pressure feature
CNBC's Brandon Gomez joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss FDA scrutiny over Whoop's blood pressure monitoring tech.
CNBC
15-07-2025
- Health
- CNBC
Whoop says FDA is 'overstepping its authority' with warning about blood pressure feature
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday published a warning letter addressed to the wrist wearable company Whoop, alleging it is marketing a new blood pressure feature without proper approvals. The letter centers around Whoop's Blood Pressure Insights (BPI) feature, which the company introduced alongside its latest hardware launch in May. Whoop said its BPI feature uses blood pressure information to offer performance and wellness insights that inform consumers and improve athletic performance. But the FDA said Tuesday that Whoop's BPI feature is intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease — a key distinction that would reclassify the wellness tracker as a "medical device" that has to undergo a rigorous testing and approval processes. "Providing blood pressure estimation is not a low-risk function," the FDA said in the letter. "An erroneously low or high blood pressure reading can have significant consequences for the user." A Whoop spokesperson said the company's system offers only a single daily estimated range and midpoint, which distinguishes it from medical blood pressure devices used for diagnosis or management of high blood pressure. Whoop users who purchase the $359 "Whoop Life" subscription tier can use the BPI feature to get daily insights about their blood pressure, including estimated systolic and diastolic ranges, according to the company. Whoop also requires users to log three traditional cuff-readings to act as a baseline in order to unlock the BPI feature. Additionally, the spokesperson said the BPI data is not unlike other wellness metrics that the company deals with. Just as heart rate variability and respiratory rate can have medical uses, the spokesperson said, they are permitted in a wellness context too. "We believe the agency is overstepping its authority in this case by attempting to regulate a non-medical wellness feature as a medical device," the Whoop spokesperson said. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is the number one risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and other types of cardiovascular disease, according to Dr. Ian Kronish, an internist and co-director of Columbia University's Hypertension Center. Kronish told CNBC that wearables like Whoop are a big emerging topic of conversation among hypertension experts, in part because there's "concern that these devices are not yet proven to be accurate." If patients don't get accurate blood pressure readings, they can't make informed decisions about the care they need. At the same time, Kronish said wearables like Whoop present a "big opportunity" for patients to take more control over their health, and that many professionals are excited to work with these tools. Understandably, it can be confusing for consumers to navigate. Kronish encouraged patients to talk with their doctor about how they should use wearables like Whoop. "It's really great to hear that the FDA is getting more involved around informing consumers," Kronish said. Whoop is not the only wearable manufacturer that's exploring blood pressure monitoring. Omron and Garmin both offer medical blood pressure monitoring with on-demand readings that fall under FDA regulation. Samsung also offers blood-pressure-reading technology, but it is not available in the U.S. market. Apple has also been teasing a blood pressure sensor for its watches, but has not been able to deliver. In 2024, the tech giant received FDA approval for its sleep apnea detection feature. Whoop has previously received FDA clearance for its ECG feature, which is used to record and analyze a heart's electrical activity to detect potential irregularities in rhythm. But when it comes to blood pressure, Whoop believes the FDA's perspective is antiquated. "We do not believe blood pressure should be considered any more or less sensitive than other physiological metrics like heart rate and respiratory rate," a spokesperson said. "It appears that the FDA's concerns may stem from outdated assumptions about blood pressure being strictly a clinical domain and inherently associated with a medical diagnosis." The FDA said Whoop could be subject to regulatory actions like seizure, injunction, and civil money penalties if it fails to address the violations that the agency identified in its letter. Whoop has 15 business days to respond with steps the company has taken to address the violations, as well as how it will prevent similar issues from happening again. "Even accounting for BPI's disclaimers, they do not change this conclusion, because they are insufficient to outweigh the fact that the product is, by design, intended to provide a blood pressure estimation that is inherently associated with the diagnosis of a disease or condition," the FDA said.
