Niall Horan shares thoughts on fitness, recovery and touring in new WHOOP podcast
Niall Horan (announced as a WHOOP ambassador late last year) has been discussing how he uses WHOOP in his day-to-day life and what it means to him.
It’s a good time to hear what he thinks, given the focus on health and wellbeing in January, said a spokesperson for WHOOP.
On the podcast he said: “What I like about Whoop is it keeps me accountable. That’s the main thing I liked about it. During Covid… we were getting competitive with it. It was the thing. I had friends, like, I looked at his thing and he played basketball for an hour. I was like, this guy’s never played basketball in his life. He was just trying to outdo us.”
“I find it good to keep yourself competitive with yourself and trying to get to that strain. Instead of being lazy, I’ll take the dog out for a second walk just so I can get some steps, see if I can get that [strain] up.”
Discussing sleep and recovery, Niall said: “Sleep is the most important for me. I imagine I need minimum seven hours to function. Last night I got eight and a half… I’m up at 95% recovery this morning, which I haven’t seen in ages. I think I had like 80% sleep efficiency last night, so it was a good one.”
“When you concentrate on these things – food, sleep, workouts – you can really see it in the Whoop data. It makes such a difference.”
Touring
“To support a 90-minute arena show with 20 songs, I need to be fit. I can’t mess around the way I did when I was younger. On my last tour, I didn’t drink for nearly the whole year, and it made such a difference. My sleep improved, my clarity improved, everything.
“Touring is brutal on your body, so I try to control what I can: eat clean, work out, nap when I need to, avoid anything that messes with my vocals. It’s not glamorous, but it’s what lets me step on stage and give everything.
“We had this thing the whole way through our career, and I still have it now, where we’re just happy to be anywhere. I look out at these arenas full of people and think, this would be an empty room if you didn’t buy tickets. You have to hold that feeling. If you lose gratitude, you’re done. That mindset kept us grounded from day one, and it still keeps me grounded now.
“You have to go and find what feels like you – what comes out of your mouth naturally and doesn’t feel forced. That takes time. You write songs that don’t fit, you chase ideas that feel wrong, and then eventually you recognise the sound that’s yours.
“People can tell immediately when something isn’t authentic. So much of being an artist is just knowing yourself well enough to trust what feels right.”
In addition to joining WHOOP as a brand ambassador last year, Niall has invested in the company, aligning with its mission to unlock human potential through personalised health and performance insights, said the company spokesperson in a statement.
As an artist who balances intense touring schedules, demanding performance routines, and an active lifestyle, he has long prioritised his physical and mental wellbeing. His personal commitment to health and recovery makes WHOOP a natural fit.