English with Jo

This is the preparation material for an English conversation lesson about sleep.  When we sleep well, we wake up feeling refreshed and ready for our daily activities. Sleep affects how we look, feel and perform on a daily basis. Most people like to get about 8 hours of sleep a night but for some people this is not so easy! Some people have insomnia and are unable to sleep even if they are very tired. Other people work or party too hard and so they do not give themselves proper rest. For every person and animal, sleep has a major impact on our overall quality of life.

Audio Discussion about Sleep

Download audio discussion about sleep

Download transcript of audio discussion

• Have you experienced any of the situations that Akane describes?
• Do you think the amount of sleep we need runs in the family?

Vocabulary

Phrasal Verbs 

• Stay up – “I stayed up all night last night watching movies!”
• Wake up – “I wake up at about 7am every morning”
• Nod off – “The lecture was so boring that I nodded off after the first 10 minutes!” 

Idioms and Expressions 

• A sleepless night – to be awake for most of the night trying to sleep.
• To lose sleep over something – when you cannot sleep because something is on your mind.
• To be a heavy/light sleeper – if you are a heavy sleeper you are not easily woken, even by loud noises. A light sleeper will wake up even with small noises or distractions.
• Fast asleep – when someone is in a very deep sleep.
• Wide awake – when you are in bed but your mind is alert and you do not feel tired.
• To sleep like a log – to sleep very deeply
• To toss and turn – when you cannot sleep and you constantly change positions because you are not comfortable.

 Conversation Questions 

• Do you always get enough sleep?
• How many hours per night do you usually sleep?
• How do you feel if you don't get your regular amount of sleep?
• Why do you think some people need more sleep than others?
• Why do you think babies need much more sleep than adults?
• Do you think sleep is a waste of time?
• Why do you think your body needs sleep?
• Have you ever had problems sleeping?
• Do you ever have trouble making your mind quiet when you are trying to sleep?
• Do you ever toss and turn during the night?
• Have you ever lost sleep over something?
• Have you ever experienced insomnia?
• What do you think causes insomnia?
• What do you do if you cannot get to sleep?
• Do you move a lot in your sleep?
• Are you a heavy or light sleeper?
• Can you sleep anywhere?
• Can you sleep on aeroplanes, trains and buses?
• Where is the strangest place you have ever slept?
• Have you ever fallen asleep in a lesson or at work?
• Have you ever slept outside for an entire night?
• Is it possible to sleep too much?
• What do you do to prepare yourself for sleep?
• Do you snore in your sleep?
• Do you every talk in your sleep or sleepwalk?
• Have you ever known anyone who walked in their sleep?
• Do you prefer to go to sleep late or wake up early?
• Do you like to read or watch TV in bed?
• Does this help you to sleep or keep you awake?
• When do you usually go to bed when do you usually get up? Is it the same at weekends?
• What’s the longest you’ve gone without sleep? How did you feel?
• A siesta is popular in some countries. Do you take one?
• Do you ever take naps during the day?