Sleep coaching
If you want to get fit, you might find a personal trainer.
If you want to improve your diet, you speak to a nutritionist.
But who do you turn to if you want to sleep better?
If you have severe/chronic insomnia then you go to a doctor. But there is no widespread equivalent of a sleep coach to help the large numbers of people who just don't get enough sleep or whose sleep quality is poor.
I found very early on that relatively small improvements in sleep could have a hugely positive impact on my coaching clients. And so I trained as a Sleep & Recovery Specialist so I can help them even more.
The damage done by poor sleep is both substantial and now very well proven in numerous scientific studies. Not just long-term health issues like much greater risk of heart disease and diabetes, but more immediate effects like weight gain, elevated stress hormones and impaired cognitive & physical performance.
This additional expertise enables me to offer a new service that I think will be incredibly valuable to many people: dedicated one-to-one Sleep Coaching.
On top of the individual coaching, I have developed a corporate seminar called "How To Sleep Well", enabling larger groups to understand the principles of good sleeping. One to consider if you are looking for something different for your next management get-together, or to provide a focal point for bringing employees together in the office.
How it works
The initial consultation lasts about an hour and can be done over Zoom or face-to-face. In advance I will get you to fill in a sleep diary or use a wearable like WHOOP or ŌURA to collect data on your current sleep habits. We will then look at the following aspects of your sleep and construct a clear and practical plan to improve it:
- Schedule: bed & wake times, consistency of these times etc.
- Light: getting enough daylight, blue light disturbance, darkness in your bedroom.
- Environment: bedroom temperature, noise reduction etc.
- Eating & drinking: particularly impact of caffeine & alcohol, but also what foods and when to eat to promote sleep.
- Products: making your bed as comfortable a place to sleep as possible.
- Stress: managing your evening routines to reduce cortisol levels and promote sleepiness.
The cost of the initial consultation is £200 and 30-minute follow-ups can also be arranged - these are best done a month or so after the first session to discuss what is working for you and adjust your plan accordingly.
I have been asked by a number of people who want to give a Sleep Coaching session to a partner or friend as a gift, and that is easily arranged.
