Report Reveals Insights into Fitness, Sleep & Recovery
Whoop’s year-end report draws on its community’s trends and insights, revealing sleep performance drives the largest positive impact across all generations
The WHOOP 2024 Year in Review reveals a year of transformative shifts in fitness and wellness. From the rise of walking as a global favorite to the growing embrace of strength training and low-impact workouts, these trends highlight how people are redefining movement, recovery, and overall health. This year’s data offers a glimpse into the evolving priorities shaping a more accessible, balanced, and sustainable approach to fitness.
Sleep Insights: Generational & Monthly Trends
Sleep habits remained a cornerstone of wellbeing for Whoop members in 2024. Gen Z is the most well-rested generation, logging an average of 416 minutes of sleep per night, while Boomers slept the least, averaging 399 minutes. Interestingly, Gen Z’s average bedtime of 12:21 AM was significantly later than Boomers’ 10:48 PM, demonstrating more nocturnal patterns.
Whoop’s month-to-month analysis showed that January led the year in sleep duration (418.8 minutes), reflecting post-holiday recovery efforts, while June saw the least sleep (409 minutes). Sundays consistently ranked highest for sleep performance (79.1%), emphasizing the importance of rest before the workweek.
Recovery & Behavior Patterns
Recovery was influenced heavily by behaviors, with sleep performance driving the largest positive impact across all generations (+9.9% on average). Alcohol consumption most negatively impacted performance, which reduced recovery scores by an average of -12%. Gen Z’s recovery was particularly sensitive, as alcohol consumption hurt their recovery more significantly (-13.3%) compared to Boomers (-8.3%).
Shared sleeping environments and routines also played a role in recovery. Sleeping in a shared bed improved recovery by +2.3%, while sleeping in one’s own bed provided a slight boost of +1.6%. Meanwhile, meditation emerged as the most popular recovery activity, accounting for 27% of all recovery-related entries.
Fitness & Activity Trends
Aligned with the current fitness interest in low-impact movement, particularly walking, and mind-body practices such as yoga (+25%) and Pilates (+23%), which surged among female members. Powerlifting also gained traction among women (+19%), reflecting a broader cultural shift toward strength training and heavy lifting. Activities like as HIIT and functional fitness declined among both genders, with HIIT participation dropping by -21% among women and -19% among men.
Stress & Alcohol Trends
Gen Z members reported being the most stressed (30%), a stark contrast to Gen X, who logged the least stress (39.9%). Stress levels appeared to correlate with generational recovery patterns, as Gen Z had the lowest consistency and efficiency in their sleep patterns but the highest sensitivity to recovery-boosting and hindering factors.
Alcohol consumption trends showed a marked decline across all generations. In 2024, only 31.7% of members reported drinking, compared to 41.6% in 2021. While Gen Z drank the least frequently, they consumed the most per occasion, averaging 3.8 drinks.
The Rise of Protein & Strength Training Awareness
Protein intake surged among both men and women, with affirmation rates jumping to 59% and 60% respectively. This coincided with an increased interest in strength training activities, particularly among women. Powerlifting, in particular, gained traction as more women embraced the benefits of lifting heavy.
Looking Ahead
The data from 2024 underscores a collective shift toward certain health practices. Members increasingly value low-impact fitness, protein consumption, and consistent recovery habits. In the Whoop community and beyond, there is growing awareness of long-term wellness over short-term performance.