Podcast 188: Kristen Holmes Answers Listener Questions from HRV to Anxiety

This week, we're bringing you a special episode that you asked for - literally. Kristen Holmes, WHOOP VP of Performance, joins the podcast to answer questions from our listeners, from understanding low Recovery scores, the impact of mental health on your WHOOP metrics, and just how we estimate calorie burn.

What exactly does a 1% recovery mean? How does your mental health affect your Recovery? What does it mean if your HRV is regularly over 100? This week, we're taking your questions on the WHOOP Podcast. Kristen Holmes, VP of Performance, joins to tackle your most pressing questions, from calories, to menstrual cycle insights, to HRV. We have new ways to interact with the WHOOP Podcast! You can email us – Podcast@whoop.com – or you can call our listener line (508-443-4952) and leave a voicemail, and your question might be answered on a future episode just like this one.

LISTENER QUESTIONS EPISODE CHAPTERS:

1:44 - Understanding why you may have a low or high HRV 5:54 - The science behind the personalized Menstrual Cycle Coaching feature 9:27 - The connection between mental health and HRV 22:30 - Understanding Recovery scores, including the fabled 1% 26:45 - Fasted cardio   Additional Resources: The research behind Menstrual Cycle Coaching Dr. Huberman's tools for circadian alignment Understanding your Monthly Performance Assessment Tracking mental health in the WHOOP Journal 10 mental health activities The importance of sleep consistency How to self experiment with the WHOOP Journal Understanding the WHOOP Journal Benefits of hydration Studies on Zone 2 training Polarized training Calorie burn calculation