Back in the early to mid-90s, the power breakfast was part of an extreme fitness/recreation movement that encouraged men and women to get off their buns and move. Now if you had one of the 4-5 course power breakfasts, this made a lot of sense. However, one ad for an extreme exercise program had a header that read, 'You Can Sleep When You're Dead'.
While seemingly morbid and a little all-knowing, this was also around the time when franchise and indie coffee shops became popular. Then, multi-tasking seemed to be the connection to getting more done in less time and making time for miscellaneous things. Sleep be damned, according to what was hip for most adults back then.
Now, people are singing a new tune called 'We Need More Rest to Live Longer'. Late baby boomers, Gen-Xers, and early millennials are finding out that extra activities are good but everybody is different. Enter the sleep coach.
Not Just For Babies Anymore
Getting a good amount of shuteye regularly is tricky for a lot of people these days. The internet, life matters, work, or simply stressful situations affect how well we sleep. Not to mention chronic conditions like insomnia or sleep apnea that may be connected to another health issue. However, when certain matters are ongoing, the loss of rest (both mental and physical) impact our quality of life.
While the audience is rather broad, anyone considering this as a side hustle should know their targeted group well. Similar to life coaches, there are many different approaches and probably the best training next to sleep consultant training is life experience itself.
How to Get Started as a Sleep Consultant
As of June 2022, there are no hard rules for getting into this money-making opportunity right away. Although certification programs exist, most of these specialize in pediatrics. Like many vocations, there are several online institutions but credential requirements haven't been established.
Off the top of my head, I'd say an undergraduate degree in health, psychology, or any branch of science would be essential if you wanted to work with an older clientele. However, there seems to be some room for creativity in the marketing of services.
Creating a Niche in a New Industry
Let's say you've been a licensed hairstylist for the past decade and women make up 90% of your clientele. Most of this group are between a certain age and have issues common in this age group. By implementing solid marketing basics, you can introduce this into your services. In your promotional materials, you can stress how sleep is essential to weight loss.
If you're well acquainted with things that relate to alternative or natural medicine, you can create a series based on getting sleep without chemicals or prescription drugs. Even an administrative assistant may present some real-life scenarios that will help them connect with like-minded individuals suffering from a lack of sleep.
A Side Gig with Little Overhead
Unless you choose to introduce herbs or other tangible products into your plans, the startup costs are minimal. That is if you don't go for a certification. Like anything else, having a certification or proof of studies can go a long way when selling services to the public.
According to Glassdoor, the average sleep coach earns around $48K annually. While this may sound great, consider important factors like actual need and the time you need to build an identifiable brand. In other words, this isn't likely to happen overnight or for a year.
Finally, although this seems like an easy way to earn money without a degree or required industry certification, use common sense. If a client appears to be undergoing some serious problems, don't try to solve them if you lack the credentials. As we can't look at a person who may have mental issues, sometimes treatment goes beyond words of wisdom. Should a deeply personal matter affect one's sleep, it's best to refer them to the American Sleep Association.
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