Every client you will ever coach wants to improve their sleep. They always want more sleep. About 40 million people in the U.S. suffer from chronic long-term sleep disorders each year and an additional 20 million experience occasional sleep problems. Lack of sleep is a huge epidemic, for your clients and maybe even for you.
Help your clients combat bad sleep by sharing some of these tips!
Power Down
The soft blue glow from a cell phone, tablet, or digital clock on your bedside table may hurt your sleep. Turn off TVs, computers, and other blue-light sources an hour before you go to bed. Cover any displays you can’t shut off.
Say “No” to Naps
If you stay away from napping during the day, you will rest better at night, but if you really are in need for a quick snooze while the sun’s up, keep it under 20 minutes, and try to nap in the early part of the day. You can overcome an afternoon energy slump with a short walk, a glass of ice water, or a phone call with a friend.
Set Your Back Up for Success
Suffer from minor back pain? Your lower back may not hurt enough to wake you up, but mild pain can disturb the deep, restful stages of sleep. You can put a pillow between your legs to align your hips better and ease stress on your lower back.
Keep it Neutral
waking up with a stiff neck? Your pillow is likely the culprit. Your pillow should be just the right size — not too fat and not too flat — to support the natural curve of your neck when you’re resting on your back. Do you sleep on your side? Line your nose up with the center of your body, and don’t snooze on your stomach because it twists your neck.
Save Your Bed for Relaxing
Keep your bedroom separate from your workroom. Your bedroom should feel relaxing. Don’t sit in bed and work, surf the Internet, or watch TV.
Set Your Body Clock
Make it a point to go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same time every day, even on weekends. This routine will get your brain and body used to being on a healthy snooze-wake schedule. In time, you’ll be able to nod off quickly and rest soundly through the night.
Avoid Caffeine
Coffee in the morning is fine for most people, but as soon as the clock strikes noon, try to avoid caffeine in foods and drinks. Make sure you are reading labels and looking for caffeine in unexpected places like pain relievers and weight loss pills.
Interested in learning more about the science of Sleep and how you can incorporate it into your training or coaching business? You can become a Certified Sleep Science Coach through The Spencer Institute.