As the business of sleep takes off, the American Council on Exercise is supporting fit pros and personal trainers with a new Sleep & Recovery Coach Course
Getting better sleep is undoubtedly at the top of many Americans’ 2026 resolutions.
Sleep is at the cornerstone of health and wellness, ensuring better cognitive and physical performance, recovery, immune health and longevity, which is why the American Council on Exercise (ACE) has developed the Sleep & Recovery Coach Course in collaboration with Nick Lambe, known as “the online sleep coach.”
The new educational program is designed for personal trainers and other fitness, health and exercise professionals looking to support clients’ goals by integrating sleep and recovery science into their coaching practices.
“Recovery is a foundational component of sustaining an active lifestyle and supporting overall well-being,” said ACE CEO Cedric X. Bryant. “The Sleep & Recovery Coach Course bridges the gap between sleep optimization and behavior-change coaching and advances our shared mission to help people move more and live healthier lives.”
The course targets the habits and environmental factors that influence sleep quality, drawing from a behavioral, evidence-based approach to improve recovery, performance and overall well-being.
Fit pros can take advantage of key areas of the curriculum, including:
- Assessment and interpretation of sleep patterns and behaviors to identify factors limiting recovery and performance
- The science connecting sleep, training adaptation, metabolism, stress regulation and mental performance
- Behavior-change coaching strategies to support sleep optimization and restorative recovery practices
“Better sleep leads to better energy, motivation, movement quality and adherence — key drivers of consistent physical activity and wellbeing,” said Lambe.
“As recovery becomes a leading differentiator in the coaching industry, clients are increasingly seeking professionals who understand both the science of recovery and the principles of behavior change,” he added.
The business of sleep has been booming lately, especially as new research indicates sleep is just as important as diet and exercise for longevity.
Brands like Sleep.ai have been taking advantage of the growing investment in sleep, with the platform raising $5.5 million last year to tap into rising consumer demand for sleep health solutions.
