Is the Ultrahuman Ring AIR better than Whoop for tracking sleep?

Both track sleep well, so it comes down to the style of feedback you like. Whoop is built around performance, with detailed strain and recovery coaching that suits people training towards a goal. The Ultrahuman Ring AIR presents sleep data in a lighter, more at-a-glance way, and its app lets you tag interventions like red light or magnesium to see what improves your sleep over time. Sigourney found the ring a better fit for her current priorities.

How much does the Ultrahuman Ring AIR cost compared to Whoop?

They are priced differently. Ultrahuman Ring AIR is a one-time purchase with no ongoing subscription (check the Ultrahuman site for current Australian pricing), while Whoop is a membership that includes the band and its ongoing coaching and features. Which is better value depends on how long you plan to wear it and how much you use the coaching.

What is HRV and why does it matter for beauty and ageing?

HRV (heart rate variability) measures the variation in time between your heartbeats and is one of the best markers of nervous system health, resilience and biological age. A higher HRV indicates better recovery, stress management and overall wellness – all of which directly impact skin health, energy levels and visible signs of ageing. Tracking it with wearables like the Ultrahuman Ring helps you see which lifestyle choices (sleep, meditation, exercise) actually improve your longevity markers.

Can you wear the Ultrahuman Ring with jewellery and makeup?

Yes. The Ultrahuman Ring AIR is designed to be worn discreetly alongside other rings, bracelets and jewellery, so it reads as jewellery rather than a health tracker. Sigourney also likes that it sits neatly with a polished, everyday look. A band-style tracker like Whoop is a different format, so it comes down to whether you prefer a ring or a wrist.

Ultrahuman Ring vs Whoop: A Beauty Editor's Review

I've worn both Whoop and the Ultrahuman Ring AIR. Here's what each taught me about sleep, stress, HRV and bio-age, and who each suits.

It all started with a book. Specifically, Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, which I read on a plane, probably while drinking champagne and committing every circadian sin in the book. I stayed up late multiple nights reading it (ironic) and by the time I finished it, I was fully converted: sleep wasn’t just “important,” it was EVERYTHING. The foundation of your health, your hormones, your glow, your patience with your kids. Your whole damn life.

Naturally, the next step was to start tracking it.

That's how I fell into the world of wearable tech – and why, for a long time, I wore the Whoop band. I even went full Gwyneth and got the champagne-coloured strap with gold hardware, which looked very chic.

Why I Moved to a Ring (and What I Still Love About Whoop)

There was a lot I really liked about the Whoop. The weight training function was excellent – you can add exercises in and it even counts your reps and you can find out how much strain you're under. It made me feel a bit like an athlete. (An athlete who only works out when she hasn't washed her hair.)

Whoop is a membership model, so I thought I'd try the Ultrahuman, which comes as a one-off purchase.

Enter Ultrahuman Ring AIR

I started hearing buzz about the Ultrahuman Ring AIR. Sleek. Sexy. Designed in titanium and blessedly strapless. It promised to track my sleep, stress, HRV and recovery – but in a more minimal finger-profile. So I gave it a go.

And honestly? I love it.

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Ultrahuman

Ring AIR

$599

It gives me the data I want – like how stressful that podcast tech meltdown really was on my nervous system, or how well I recovered after three glasses of pinot and a late-night episode of Selling Sunset. And it presents it in a lighter way, which suits me. It feels more like a gentle nudge than a coach in my ear.

What I Use It For (and How You Can Too)

Sigourney with ring

Here's what I've learned – and how I actually use it in real life, whichever tracker you choose, and how wearable tech can be useful without driving you mad.

1. Sleep Quality Check

I still track my sleep most days – but I no longer spiral if I don't hit 8 hours. I use it more like a weather report: am I running on reserves or fully charged? It's especially helpful to see how:

• Alcohol affects me (spoiler: always worse sleep)

• Whether red light before bed improves my HRV (so far so YES!)

• If magnesium or journalling helps my deep sleep increase (jury out, still tracking)

2. Stress Awareness (a.k.a. NSI / "You Might Want to Chill")

Ultrahuman calls it your Stress Score, but it's really just your nervous system in numbers. When it's high, I know I need a bath, a walk, or a moment without children climbing on me. Sometimes it reminds me to:

• Meditate (even if it's 5 minutes hiding in the laundry)

• Skip intense workouts and just stretch or walk

• Not schedule back-to-back meetings like I'm still 27

You can even tag moments like "Coffee," "Infrared," "Meditation" and see how they actually shift your stress markers over time.

3. HRV = Your Beauty and Longevity Tracker

This is the one number I really pay attention to. HRV (heart rate variability) is one of the best markers of nervous system health, resilience, and – wait for it – biological age. If my HRV is trending up, I know my body's loving me back.

4. The Aesthetic Factor

Honestly? I just love how it looks. It's minimal, chic, doesn't scream "I biohack", and works with a blow-dry and a blazer. I wear it with rings and bracelets and no one even notices it's tech – which is ideal, because I don't always want to explain HRV to strangers.

Plus: it's a one-off purchase with no subscription, which suits the way I like to buy things.

NB: Sometimes tracking creates anxiety

Personally, I'm an over-thinker, and with all that detail in front of me after nights of staying up past 10pm trawling the internet for aesthetic massage chairs (spoiler: they don't exist), I started to get what my mum – in her infinite wisdom – called "sleep anxiety". That says more about me than the band. She gently suggested that maybe I didn't need quite so much feedback on my rest.

Touché, Mum.

Final Thoughts

Whoop is excellent if you want high-performance fitness feedback, and it's the one I'd point a training-minded friend towards. If you're more interested in staying regulated through the chaos of modern life, and don't want to pay a subscription, then the Ultrahuman Ring will work for you.

It's not just about data. It's about awareness. And knowing when to track… and when to just go to bed.

Story by Sigourney Cantelo.

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