112.PDF

112 – Sleep

ESL Conversation

A: I haven’t been sleeping well lately. I’m tired all day but I can’t seem

to fall asleep at night.

B: Have you had problems with insomnia before?

A: I’ve always been a light sleeper but I’ve never experienced anything

like this. It’s been like this for over 2 months now. It started after I got

my new job.

B: Is the job causing you much stress? Worrying or thinking too much

can negatively affect people’s sleep.

A: I don’t think so. It’s a really relaxing job and I don’t think about it too

much when I’m home. The only thing I can think of is that I drink more

coffee now than I used to. I didn’t think that would be much of a problem

since I don’t drink any after I get home.

B: Caffeine stays in the system for a long time. Try not drinking any

coffee past noon. You might also want to do some yoga or other

relaxation techniques before bed. You want to be in a relaxed state well

before you get into bed. It will make falling asleep much easier.

A: What about drinking alcohol before bed. I find it helps me sleep.

B: You can if you want, but don’t have too much. Too much alcohol will

decrease the quality of REM sleep .

Phrases and Vocabulary used:

Insomnia : A person with insomnia has a very difficult time sleeping or

getting enough sleep. They often lie awake in bed, wishing they could fall

asleep. A person with insomnia is called an insomniac.

Many people have insomnia

My brother is an insomniac

Light sleeper : A light sleeper is a person who is very easy to wake up.

A light sleeper will wake up quickly after hearing even a little bit of noise.

Negatively affect : If something "negatively affects" something else it

means it has a negative influence on it. Smoking cigarettes negatively

affect a person’s health.

System: In medicine, we often refer to the body as a "system".

Too much alcohol isn’t good for the system.

Relaxation techniques : Relaxation tecniques are things you can do to

relax. Yoga, listening to soft music, and slow deep breathing are all

examples of relaxation techniques.

REM sleep : REM sleep stands for Rapid Eye Movement. It is a phase of

sleep where a person moves their eyes really quickly. It is not very well

understood, but most experts believe it is a very important phase of sleep.