A good night's sleep

A young man sleeping in bed

Listen to the radio interview and do the exercises to practise and improve your listening skills.

Instructions

Do the preparation exercise before you listen. Then do the other exercises to check your understanding.

Audio file

Transcript

Host: At exam time it is important to sleep well. Today we have Doctor Baker with us in the studio and he is going to give us five top tips for getting a good night’s sleep. Welcome to the show, Doctor Baker. 

Dr Baker: Thank you. It’s great to be here. Let’s start with tip one. Don’t go to bed with the television on. Some people think they can sleep well with the TV on, but the noise and lights mean you don’t really sleep well, so turn it off!

Tip two: Don’t think too much before bedtime. Do your hardest homework earlier in the evening. Do easier homework later. If your brain is too busy and full of ideas it takes longer to get to sleep.

Tip three: Don’t play video games for an hour before you go to sleep. They also make your brain too busy and active. 

Tip four: Turn off your cell phone when you go to bed. What is so important that it can’t wait until the morning? If possible, leave your phone in another room. 

Tip five: Play music if you like. But don’t play it too loud. Turn the sound down low.

Host: Thank you, Doctor. That is very useful advice for our young listeners.

Discussion

Do you sleep well? How many hours do you sleep a night?

Language level
Average: 3.9 (85 votes)
Personal online tutoring
EnglishScore Tutors is the British Council’s one-to-one tutoring platform for 13- to 17-year-olds.

Comments

Submitted by JerryT on Sun, 03/05/2023 - 08:07

Yes, I do. I usually sleep for 8 hours a night.

Submitted by haidar15 on Mon, 12/12/2022 - 07:32

This is difficult to understand, usually I just can sleep 7 hour, But I can sleep 9 hour.
I am little bit weird.

Profile picture for user Leandro1983

Submitted by Leandro1983 on Sat, 12/03/2022 - 23:42

Oh my very nice

Submitted by JuanBonilla on Wed, 11/09/2022 - 20:54

yes, I sleep well. I usually sleep for more than 7 hours.

Submitted by MeaMea on Fri, 10/21/2022 - 14:26

oh my good god. I always sleep with my mobile phone. I try it.

Submitted by shinta on Fri, 10/14/2022 - 09:23

I slept well last night. Usually, I go to bed at 22:00. I wake up at 7:30. That means I sleep 9.5 hours.

Submitted by mondereck18 on Sun, 09/04/2022 - 00:40

I hardly ever go to bedearly.Itis very difficult to me. however, I have already discovered which the causes are...

Submitted by Hirthic on Thu, 09/01/2022 - 16:05

yes I sleep well. I usually sleep for more than 8 hours.

Submitted by ingleseBZnullo on Wed, 08/31/2022 - 12:11

i sleep very well all night

Submitted by SK0272ingles on Wed, 08/17/2022 - 00:05

I can sleep very weel because I work every day and I end my day exaust.

Submitted by Noorreeyy09 on Tue, 08/16/2022 - 14:57

Yes I actually enjoy a good and peaceful sleep by the grace of God. And I usually sleep for 8 hours. Thank you

Submitted by AliEsp on Sat, 08/13/2022 - 15:58

No, I haven't slept well at night. I sleep 6 hours at night.

Submitted by fmchancosic on Wed, 08/10/2022 - 20:17

Yes, I do. I usually sleep for six hours. When, I don't have a lot of homeworks of university.

Submitted by Tami1210 on Wed, 08/10/2022 - 00:02

Lately I have not slept well for health reasons or simply because there is a lot of noise in my house. I usually sleep 5 hours.

Submitted by jrrada21 on Wed, 07/13/2022 - 00:20

Do you sleep well? How many hours do you sleep a night? Sometimes I don´t sleep well because there is a lot of noise around my house. for the second question . I´m sleeping 6 hours a night right now. I hope to sleep more hour in my life. thak you for the advices.

Submitted by Kitty20 on Mon, 06/20/2022 - 19:57

Sometimes I don't sleep well because of the noise, but normally I sleep 7 hours a day.

Submitted by minata on Mon, 06/20/2022 - 19:43

well, I sleep 7 seven hours a day but i steel over the day tired sometimes i sleep for more 7 hours but when i do that i wake up early in the morning !! what is the solution so ?? :/ :/

Submitted by Angelasb on Mon, 06/20/2022 - 19:07

Yes, I sleep well. I sleep 7 hours.

Submitted by QAZ on Mon, 06/13/2022 - 08:56

I often sleep quite late, around at 3am. But I'm gonna improve it day by day for my health

Submitted by SEBASTIAN on Wed, 06/08/2022 - 23:26

I sleep very well,i sleep 14 hours when I am in vacation

Submitted by Koalagirl on Sun, 06/05/2022 - 12:28

I do not really have a good sleep. I usually sleep for seven hours a day. I take few naps during the day.

Submitted by Fadikly on Thu, 06/02/2022 - 16:57

i sleep very well actually. i don’t watch video or other things before i go to bed. i usually sleep 9 hours. Because its important for my life.

Submitted by 0english on Wed, 06/01/2022 - 07:54

I sleep at least 8 hours

Submitted by Edaa on Wed, 06/01/2022 - 07:09

I sleep very well very comfortably. I sleep 8 hours a day☺️
Profile picture for user Ebrarr

Submitted by Ebrarr on Wed, 06/01/2022 - 07:08

I sleep at 3 o'clock.

Submitted by IhorDev on Mon, 04/04/2022 - 18:42

I sleep 9 hours

Submitted by rainyhappy on Sun, 04/03/2022 - 21:47

I sometimes sleep well at the night if I feel tired on that day but I usually wake up while I sleep to go to toilet or I sneeze. That is so terrible bed time for me. I usually sleep approximately 5 hours per day.

Submitted by JS0672 on Sun, 04/03/2022 - 16:07

Yes, I sleep well. I sleep 8 hours

Submitted by rainyhappy on Sat, 03/26/2022 - 16:13

I think I have a sleep bad because I always have a nightmare. I sleep around 5-6 hours per day.

Submitted by Rosy on Fri, 04/01/2022 - 04:43

My suggestion, you should try meditation just before going to be. The mediation I mentioned is concerned with any religion, only sort of mental exercise. Thank you.

In reply to by rainyhappy

Submitted by Vikaffffffffiii on Tue, 03/01/2022 - 18:52

No, I am bad sleep because me to don't go sleep. I usually sleep 9 hours

Submitted by KirV on Fri, 02/18/2022 - 11:56

Yes, I sleep well. I usually sleep 8-9 hours.

Submitted by Lin on Wed, 02/16/2022 - 10:00

yeah, I'm sleeping well. I sleep 8 hours or more than a night.

Submitted by butterfly123 on Thu, 02/03/2022 - 04:52

yeah i sleep well, i used go to bed at 11:30

Submitted by snroz111 on Sun, 01/30/2022 - 13:56

I go to bed at 11 o clock and I speak my sister until 11.30 . and ı slepp 9 hours

Submitted by Mangorian on Fri, 01/14/2022 - 17:06

I sleep for around 8 hours a day, I read teens need to sleep for 8 to 12 hours daily and also take small nap at afternoon time if they not able to do so they may affect their health and may get ill. So we should sleep for 8 to 12 hours daily. Thank You

Submitted by arianaparedes on Mon, 12/27/2021 - 17:36

Yes, I slept well. I usually sleep for 8 to 6 hours, since it is a bit difficult for me to sleep.Geo-1
Profile picture for user Chayanne

Submitted by Chayanne on Fri, 12/17/2021 - 17:32

I go to bed at 10 pm but I sleep at 1 am . I sleep 8-10 hours.

Submitted by poncebaque on Thu, 12/16/2021 - 03:20

well, I'm a person who always goes to sleep when I'm actually sleepy, I can't sleep more than 8 hours because I feel like my body itches I think that's a responsibility since my parents taught me to always be punctual when I was little with the classes and that is why I always got up early in a few words it became customary and I don't really sleep well

Submitted by Jania on Wed, 12/15/2021 - 23:07

Every day I sleep very well.. I sleep 8 hours every night.

Submitted by Jania on Wed, 12/15/2021 - 23:05

Thak u Doctor for share us important information.

Submitted by Carlillo on Tue, 12/14/2021 - 23:09

I try to sleep well but the virtual classes won´t let me. I also have a lot of homework to do specially from my english class so I need to use some of my sleeping time in order to not be overwhelmed next day. :)

Submitted by DSAS on Mon, 12/13/2021 - 17:21

yes, I sleep well. i think i sleep about 7 to 8, hours some days more and some days less

Submitted by TwilightSparkle on Thu, 11/25/2021 - 12:41

Thank you Doctor

Submitted by Emari on Wed, 12/15/2021 - 03:33

Do you sleep well? Yes, I do How many hours do you sleep a night? I sleep 8 hours at night

In reply to by TwilightSparkle

Submitted by zoeytruong on Thu, 11/18/2021 - 10:50

I usually sleep well, but sometimes I have nightmares. Sometimes i can't sleep because I drank tea or cafe in the night before, I was allergic to those things. around 7-8 hours is my time to sleep

Submitted by rainyhappy on Wed, 11/17/2021 - 04:52

I was not sleep well last night because I could not breath sometime. I usually sleep about 5 hours a night.
Profile picture for user Darkside

Submitted by Darkside on Sun, 11/14/2021 - 07:48

I had trouble sleeping for a while, but I've found some ways to help me. My best tips: 1) drinking lemon balm in bed 2) listening to music or calm English podcasts, and 3) not thinking too much
English courses near you