About Coaching
There is an official ICF definition but it is a bit fluffy (to me). [Read More]
To me, if you ask “What is Coaching?”, Coaching is
- Supported reflection and mindfulness - (the WHAT)
- Through observations and questions - (the HOW)
- For more powerful and meaningful actions and outcomes - (the WHY)
If you ask “What is Coaching to me?” Coaching is
- Experimenting together to address complex issues by
- Discovering clarity and options through questions to
- Practice grace under difficult circumstances
Sleep Coaching aims to improve your sleep through behavioural coaching, lifestyle changes and sharing evidence-based resources from nationally recognized authorities. e.g.
As someone who was a program manager in Change Management, I create a plan that everyone agrees to and ensure implementation and accountability.
If you are looking to explore different Sleep Hygiene habits to adopt, you can check out HealthHub, Singapore's national digital healthcare platform.
This requires more self-reflection; which is what I support as a Coach
People hired me over other Change Managers because of my Data Analysis and System Implementation capabilities.
(IMPORTANT) Sleep Coaching is a non-clinical and educational service to improve sleep quality through behavioural and lifestyle strategies. This service does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of sleep disorders or any other health conditions. I’m not a psychologist / therapist / doctor. 🙅♂️
- You can read more about the different Sleep Disorders [HERE]
- Use tools that diagnose sleep disorders (e.g. Polysomnography)
- Use treatments specific to sleep disorders / Shift Work (e.g. Light / Chronotherapy)
- Use specialised medical equipment (e.g. CPAP for sleep apnea)
- Prescribe any form of surgery or medication (e.g. Melatonin / Magnesium pills)
- Address medical issues that affect sleep (e.g. Hormonal imbalances, chronic pain)
More information on the Scope of Practice by the NBHWC (National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching)
In general, coaching does not seek to “fix your problems” or “deliver solutions”.
Instead, we commit to experimenting together to address complex issues.
- One of my favourite reads from my Change Management Days ~
- TLDR: To better avoid sickness, reduce stress, work productively, rest peacefully, think creatively, focus longer, learn faster, lose weight, lift heavier, love deeper and gain the energy to LIVE LIFE ☀️
- Video: The Ultimate Guide to 10x Better Sleep (tonight)
- Matthew Walker’s work is a good starting point.
- The video also covers some variables that affect good sleep
- Book: Why We Sleep Summary by Graham Mann
- Government Healthsite: How Sleep Deprivation Affects Your Mental Wellbeing
- HealthHub is Singapore's national digital healthcare platform.
Sleep Coaching aims to improve the sleep of the client through changing beliefs, behaviour and lifestyle change
A Sleep Coach works with “Disordered Sleep”, not sleep disorders. We are “Accountability and Programming” Partners not medical practitioners that “Diagnose and Treat”
- A Sleep Coach specialises in creating and implementing a program to improve and protect sleep quality
- Sleep Apnea - which involves difficulty breathing at night
- Narcolepsy - which involves difficulty staying away during the day
- Parasomnias - which involve desirable behaviours and experiences at night (e.g. Sleepwalking)
If need be, I partner with sleep psychologists and other medical professionals by
If I suspect that the issues you share with me reflect medical or clinical disorders, I will refer you to a specialist or lay out my conditions for continued partnership through coaching as part of our Coaching Agreement.
- Both sleep and non-sleep-related, as part of sleep or general coaching
Health Coaching was originally created to support healthcare professionals by creating more sustainable and accountable behaviour change as part of the healthcare process.
An “Accountability and Programming” Partner vs a “Thinking and Awareness” Partner
- Sleep Coaching focuses on guiding clients toward achieving specific sleep-related goals while Life Coaching focuses on the broader aspects of personal and professional development.
- Because the focus of Sleep Coaching is more limited, Sleep Coaching sessions tend to explore more about the commitment, implementation and accountability of actions rather than gaining additional awareness to make better decisions and gain greater clarity on what actions to take.
- However, although these elements are present in different proportions, they remain important parts of both Sleep and Life Coaching.
- There is also likely considerable overlap in the topics of conversations for both Sleep and Life coaching due to the inter-relatedness between sleep and life. Sleep issues are often caused by life’s issues and Life’s issues often cause worsening sleep.
- However, I will focus on either Sleep Coaching or Life Coaching in the same session, and this is mutually agreed upon as part of the Session Agreement.
Both are “Accountability and Programming” Partners with different focus
- Health Coaches help clients improve their health by creating lasting change to their lifestyle through adapting behaviours and beliefs.
- Sleep Coaching is a subset of Health Coaching. Health Coaching seeks to improve health holistically rather than focus on Sleep.
- Sleep is a single, significant and interconnected part of Health
It is part of my responsibility to the wider medical and mental health community as I am not licensed to diagnose or treat medical or psychological conditions.
e.g. If during a sleep coaching session or discovery call, you share symptoms that suggest clinical disorders (both sleep-specific or otherwise) or if there is no change or worsening in your conditions after sleep coaching sessions.
- As a Coach and a Sleep Coach, I am open to supporting accountability and implementation after you have seen and have been cleared by a specialist.
If insomnia persists for 3 months or more, it becomes chronic insomnia and a clinical disorder (according to the DSM-5, the manual for classifying disorders).
Acute Insomnia is linked to temporary stressors that come with environmental or life changes. Responding well to these changes can be supported by (sleep) coaching.
Beyond better fitting many people’s schedules (because of daytime commitments), coaching in a context closer to bedtime better supports many kinds of coaching goals.
- Exploring what actions to take as part of pre-sleep and bedtime routines
- Addressing crisis and releasing stress that surfaces before bed
- Ensuring good sleep on important nights before exciting mornings
- e.g. Interviews, Competitions, Presentations.
In general, nocturnal coaching can work better for some clients as the relative lack of stressful or distracting activities makes it better for reflection even though there is more fatigue from the events of the day. This depends on the individual as well as the nature of the coaching topic.
On my end, I will account for your sleep needs in my approach (which will generally be more calm and chill due to A) my coaching style and B) how the night also affects me).
- It is OK if a session gets occasionally interrupted. For example, if your family wishes to talk to you halfway through the conversation.
- However, it should be a place that enables reflection, head-space, and conversation over zoom without ambient background noise.
- For example, get a book specifically for coaching. It's perfectly OK to have some time to write down things during the session.
- What I also find is that it encourages journaling, intentionality and reflections outside of the session. Clients begin to write down in advance what they wish to discuss before the session as well as their key takeaways or discovered connections after the session.
The present study assessed the effects of mild dehydration on cognitive performance and mood of young males.
- Also, as the Client you will be a lot of talking so water definitely helps.
A common thing people miss is forgetting to update Zoom!
About Me
As in, Ownself Coach Ownself from Ownself Check Ownself; which is a minor Singaporean meme about self-reflection and accountability.
It is also what I seek for the people I coach.
Coaching is about empowerment. It’s believing in the wisdom of the client to answer their own questions and take ownership of their own growth; almost as if they are coaching themselves with but the lightest of prompts.
And I hope that spirit of self-reliance is what we can get better at; to find our own way in life through self-reflection and refining the routines for mental, emotional and physical well-being (e.g. starting with Sleep!) that gives us the capability to more effectively to do so.
Ownself Coach Ownself? I think we can. 🙆♂️
(IMPORTANT) Despite the origins of its name Ownself Coaching does not have or seek affiliation with any political party. 🙅♂️
I am “Gold Standard” certified with international organisations that lead their respective fields for Behaviour Change
The Spencer Institute is accredited by the Certification and Accreditation Board of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP).
Working towards my National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) certification (Expected Sep 2026)
This was part of the Personal Trainer Development Program (ACE-CPT) by Fit Asia that also incorporated additional workshop.
I bring clarity to a situation through curiosity and calm.
My coaching approach favours
- Holding space 🆚 giving affirmations
- Focusing on the future 🆚 the past
- Clarifying values and identities 🆚 naming conditions
In this way, we as conversational partners generate options, motivation and clear decisions that give you my client a life of strength, grace and longevity.
Joshua is a Sleep Coach 😴. He helps busy professionals secure their bedtime routine as an ICF Certified Life Coach with secondary accreditations in behaviour change covering Sleep and Performance Coaching, Personal Training and Mental Health First Aid. Check out my LinkedIn and #SleepSomeMore
As a former People & Organisation Development Manager, he also knows how to deliver training to local, regional and global audiences to enable change within organisations. For hobbies, he likes to gym and practices both physical and improvised theatre to understand how to relax the mind through the body.
It’s funny. Everyone says sleep is important but not many of us seem to get enough. So me, the barriers to change are application issues rather than awareness. We need to move beyond the conversation of sleep science and sleep hygiene to the broader picture of how to build good habits and choose a healthy life (all things considered).
“Singapore was found to be among the top sleep-deprived nations, alongside Indonesia, where 51 per cent of residents get less than seven hours of sleep daily.”
“Only one in four people get more than seven hours of sleep daily and only 17 per cent of respondents sleep through the night.”
You can read my full thoughts in a fictional setting in my Newsletter [#SleepSomeMore].