Colleagues, I know many of you wear Whoop, Oura, and other fitness trackers.
I was once a huge fan myself - until I dug deeper into the topic and read countless studies revealing that these devices can be counterproductive, especially for those prone to anxiety. Let’s break down how cognitive hooks have built a wellness empire that might be more hype than help.
- From Control to Anxiety: How Metrics Override Feelings
A 2025 study in the Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation titled “Emotional and Psychological Impacts of Wearable Health Technologies” found that 40% of wearable device users - ranging from Whoop to Oura - experience anxiety due to constant monitoring. Devices designed to promote mindfulness have ironically become a source of stress.
- The Paradox of Control
Gadgets like Whoop and Oura promise autonomy but foster dependency. In behavioral economics, this is known as the illusion of control - where data creates a false sense of certainty while secretly amplifying anxiety. We see “objective” numbers, our minds relax briefly, only to fixate on the next anomaly.
- The Illusion of Objectivity
Research confirms that users treat metrics as gospel truth, despite them being mere interpretations. This fuels confirmation bias: we seek data to validate what we already feel rather than uncover reality. Numbers shift from tools to judges, dictating our self-worth.
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Wearables are sold on the archetype of control - “take charge of your health.” Yet for anxious users, this becomes an endless game: more data breeds less confidence in our path. This triggers cognitive overload, where the brain is overwhelmed by excessive signals. The result? Stress replaces wellness, and self-monitoring breeds exhaustion instead of motivation.
So, colleagues, still wearing your Whoop? I’ve moved on, and I see it now as a triumph of marketing over genuine well-being.
