Adults increasingly hire sleep coaches to cut through online advice

Adults in the UK are increasingly turning to one-to-one sleep consultants after finding online advice inadequate or overwhelming, according to clients and practitioners. Thorsten, who sought a coach after trying extensive online tips, said: "I devoured advice and implemented it all." Practitioners say demand has grown over the past two to three years.

Stuart Thompson, founder of the Still Method, said he launched an adult sleep consultancy two years ago because so many people were asking for sleep training, and that clients were "drowning in too much information." Katie Fischer, a London-based consultant, said people often report they have "perfect sleep hygiene" yet still struggle and that coaches help "cut through the online ocean of advice" that is not always professionally underpinned.

Coaches take a broad view of clients' lives, examining 24-hour habits, stressors and mindsets. Kerry Davies said they sometimes advise stepping away from wearables because "sleep trackers often increase anxiety, which only makes things worse." UK data cited in the piece shows the average adult reports three days a week of good-quality sleep, with 14% saying they never get enough to function and 38% experiencing weekly mental health impacts.

Practices vary: coaches typically see clients for an average of four sessions, but outcomes differ.

Key Topics

Health, Sleep Coach, Still Method, Stuart Thompson, Katie Fischer, Sleep Tracker