Unit 2 Sleep

Recording 1

Matthew / Canada

Probably somewhere between six and seven hours a night. It depends what I'm doing in the evening, or what I have to do in the morning, but I usually go to bed not too late, but I usually have to get up pretty early so, usually around six or seven hours a night.

Lindsay / United States I try to get eight hours of sleep but usually I only get six hours of sleep because I wake up probably every two or three hours because I grind my teeth and it wakes me up.

Eoin / England I think probably I get about six or seven hours of sleep a night on average. Yeah, when I'm busy with stuff outside of work, like organizing concerts or just other stuff, I probably get less, maybe like four or five.

Lori / Canada That depends on certain factors, but I'd say usually I get about seven hours of sleep, but I'm a pretty light sleeper, so if my neighbors are being noisy or having a party I usually don't get much sleep at all.

Amir / Iran I sleep eight hours a night and I think that's exactly the time that I can wake up at the morning and feel good about myself, not feeling sleepy, and I can work very efficiently the rest of my day.

Aki / Japan I try to get eight. Weekdays, maybe around seven, weekends, maybe about ten hours. I love sleeping. I love sleeping in. I love like watching TV in bed.

Recording 2

Sleep is a subject few people know very much about. We do know, though, that sleep is important for our physical health and for our mental well being.

But scientists tell us that sleep can only refresh us mentally and physically when given enough time to do so. And the correct amount of time varies from individual to individual. Seven hours may be too little for some, resulting in tiredness and restlessness. Or it may be too much. Only you can tell how much sleep you need to maintain your peak form.

Surveys show that 60% of the population sleeps between seven and eight hours a night. The other 40 % sleep less, or more. So if you are not getting your eight hours each night, you feel fine, maybe you don/t need as much as you think you do.

Other factors that determine your sleep needs are your health, your job, your emotional state, and the “efficiency” of your sleep. Sleep efficiency is very important because 6 hours of sound, restful sleep will do you more good than 10 hours of tossing and turning.

What you sleep on is also very important. A surface that is too soft can cause lower back pain. A mattress that is too hard can cause painful pressure at the shoulders and hips.

For sleep that is truly efficient, support and comfort must work hand in hand. That is why it makes sense to buy the highest quality bedding you can afford. In the right size.

If you suffer from insomnia, as some people do, mild exercise can often help you to sleep at night. Just don’t exercise too strenuously before bedtime. Generally speaking, exercise is important. If fact, there is some evidence that the better your physical condition, the better you will be able to sleep.

In today’s competitive fast moving world it’s more important that ever to be the best you can. And when you sleep your best, you can look and feel your best. And that means you can do your best at anything you pursue. You have the energy and the feeling of well-being that makes each day easier and more enjoyable.

Sleep is too important to be taken lightly.

Recording 3

Marion, Ireland Well, usually on a work day, I get up at half past six in the morning because I start work at eight o'clock. On the weekends I usually have a lie in so I wake up at about 9 or 10, sometimes 11, depending on how tired I am. Usually I go to be quite late, which isn't very good but maybe about midnight, sometimes later. It depends. I find it difficult to go to sleep early.

Naomi, Australia Well, I'm a night owl so I usually don't go to bed until about 3 a.m. in the morning and these days I have class from first period every day so I have to get up by about 7:30 or 8 a.m.

Jeff, Canada What time do I get up and what time do I go to bed? I go to bed late and I try to get up early. I like to get up early but getting up is a difficult thing to do, so I try to go the bed early. I try to go to bed early, 11 o'clock, 11:30, before midnight, and I try to get up early, 6:30, 7, before 7:30, but it doesn't always work.

Barbara, Australia So, what time do I usually get up? Well, I usually wake up, maybe 5 or 6 in the morning, but I don't get up straight away. I stay in bed for awhile and get used the idea that the day is starting, maybe read a book or something, check my phone messages, and I get up at maybe 7:30, 8. If it's a day off, I get up at nine or ten, and in the evening I usually go to bed around, oh, 10, 11, sometimes 12.

Al, England I get up when I want, usually in case I am working, unless I'm working. If I'm working I get up about 9, and I go to bed when feel tired, so that's usually about 1 or 2 or 3 a.m.

Akane, Canada What time do you usually get up and what time do you usually go to bed? I usually get up in the morning about 6:30, but that's only because I have to go to work. If I had a choice I would sleep in because I really hate mornings. I try to go to bed at around 10 p.m. so that I can get enough rest that I can get up in the morning for work, but I'd really rather stay up late, because I'm night person.