The Rise of Adult Sleep Coaching: Why Generic Advice Fails (As Seen in The Guardian)
On Sunday, 25 January 2026, The Guardian published a feature titled "‘We cut through the online ocean of advice’: the rise of adult sleep coaching". I was honored to be featured in the piece to discuss a shift I see daily: sleep is no longer just a biological function; for many, it has become a high-stakes performance.
I was featured in The Guardian discussing why the "modern tired" are turning to one-to-one support.
The headline makes it sound like a passing trend. But what it actually describes is something far more familiar: people who have tried everything, read every book, and tracked every minute, yet still cannot get consistent rest. They aren't careless—they are simply trapped in a maze of contradictory advice.
The "Information Overload" Trap
In my interview with The Guardian, I noted that I had "never seen people like this before: a cohort who had never struggled with sleep previously but were unable to help themselves". Despite spending considerable time researching every trick of the trade, they found themselves "drowning in too much information".
When advice becomes endless, sleep becomes a nightly test. This creates a state of hyper-arousal, where the brain starts scanning for danger—the literal opposite of the state needed for rest.
Why "Sleep Hygiene" Isn't Enough
The hidden problem for most adults isn't a lack of hygiene; it is the fear of wakefulness. Most people who seek professional sleep support already know the standard rules: they have reduced caffeine, improved routines, and followed the "received wisdom."
As I shared in the feature, tailored help is no longer optional. Sleep coaching works because it provides:
- Prioritization: Finding the one change that matters most for your biology.
- Context: Adjusting the plan to your actual life, not an idealized routine.
- Pressure Release: De-escalating the nervous system to stop treating sleep like an achievement.
Becoming a Sleep Coach: A Professional Path
There is a second audience reading The Guardian piece: the professionals. Teachers, therapists, and wellbeing leads are seeing these patterns and realizing that "generic tips" are failing.
At Restful Reboot, we combine behavioral tools with nervous system regulation. Our Practitioner Training is built around CBT-I, The STILL Method, and hypnotherapy-based relaxation skills.
Read the full feature in The Guardian: ‘We cut through the online ocean of advice’: the rise of adult sleep coaching
Learn more about professional training: Restful Reboot Training
