In plain English
A single number that rolls overnight data such as HRV, resting heart rate and sleep into one daily read on how ready you are to train. Each brand builds theirs differently.
Also called: Readiness score
What it is
A recovery score (also called a readiness score) is a composite: a device takes several overnight measurements, weighs them against your baseline and turns them into one number or colour. WHOOP’s Recovery, for example, uses HRV, resting heart rate, sleep performance and respiratory rate, plus blood oxygen and skin temperature, and shows a percentage coloured green, yellow or red.
Why it matters for training decisions
A good recovery score saves you from reading six numbers every morning. But it’s a summary, not a verdict. It doesn’t know about the hard session your coach has planned, the race in three weeks, a niggle in your calf or what you ate. Two brands can give the same night different scores because they weigh their inputs differently.
The most useful habit is to check which inputs moved the score. A low score driven by one short night is a different problem from a low score driven by days of falling HRV and rising resting heart rate.
How wearables measure it, and the limits
Every brand’s formula is its own, and most aren’t fully published. Scores depend on sensor quality, how consistently you wear the device and how long it’s had to learn your baseline. No recovery score is a validated test for overtraining, and the overtraining consensus statement notes that no single marker meets the criteria for diagnosing it.
How P247 uses it
The daily brief gives you a recovery score out of 100. It’s calculated from set rules, not AI. It combines sleep duration, sleep continuity, deep sleep, HRV, resting heart rate and recent training load. HRV and resting heart rate are rated against fixed reference values, not against your own baseline. The brief shows which inputs moved the score and makes a call for the day: Push Today, Train Smart or Recovery Only.
Read more on the P247 blog
Sources
- WHOOP: How does WHOOP Recovery work?
- Garmin: Garmin training status and how to use it.
- Buchheit M. Monitoring training status with HR measures: do all roads lead to Rome? Frontiers in Physiology, 2014.
- Meeusen R, et al. Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the overtraining syndrome: joint consensus statement of the European College of Sport Science and the American College of Sports Medicine. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2013.
This glossary is general information to help you understand your training data. It isn't medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. For injury, illness, medication, blood test results or any health concern, speak to a qualified health professional.
P247 turns your Apple Health data into a daily brief and a weekly report that tells you what to change next week. Launching on the App Store at the end of November 2026. Your first weekly report is free.
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