Episode 0236

Hello everyone and welcome to English Pod. My name is Marco.

My name is Catherine and today we're talking a little bit about going to sleep or not being able to sleep.

That's right. We are having some sleeping problems and uh we're actually going to check out a couple of words related to this topic right now on vocabulary preview.

Okay, so the first word is actually the technical word that describes being unable to sleep. It's called Insomnia.

Right. So if you have insomnia, it means that you can't fall asleep, you can't sleep.

Okay, so this is a pretty serious condition. For example, if you have insomnia and you don't sleep for three or four nights, you're not going to do very well at work, right?

Right, or if you're studying, you're tired at school, you can't concentrate. So it's a very big problem.

What's that other word though? We have Insomnia but we also have another interesting disorder.

Right. If somebody is able to sleep but walks while they're sleeping, that person is called a sleepwalker.

That's right. And you don't actually just have to walk to be a sleepwalker. You can do any number of strange things like uh basically acting like you're awake when you're not.

Exactly. So some people uh get up and walk, actually go outside. Some people get dressed. Some people have to go downstairs and cook.

Exactly. So uh sleepwalking is is what you do and if you do this, you're called a sleepwalker.

Okay, sleepwalk is the verb, sleepwalker is the noun or the person.

All right. So we've taken a look at two words that we're going to find in our dialogue today. Why don't we go now and listen to the dialogue for the first time?

Alex, what's up with you? You look dreadful.

Wow. Maybe you should get that checked out. Maybe you're stressed?

I heard of that, but does that apply to Alex's situation?

But shouldn't he be looking into why it's been happening?

All right, we're back. So obviously this person not only has insomnia, but also has nightmares, sleepwalks, a mess.

That's right. And uh you can tell when someone hasn't been sleeping well. They have that look, like there's bags under their eyes or they just look really tired. And so the friend here says Alex, you look dreadful.

That's right, dreadful. So this is an adjective and it's a way to describe someone that looks terrible. You look horrible, you look tired, you look sleepy.

That's right. So this is not a compliment. This is something that you say when you're worried about someone. So, for example, so, for example, if someone's really, really tired, you say, you look dreadful. Or if someone is wearing very dirty clothes, they don't look like they went home yesterday, you say, ah, what's wrong? You look dreadful.

Right. I think you can also use it to describe uh objects or maybe food, right? This uh lasagna is dreadful.

Means it's very bad. And you don't want to say that to the person who cooked it, of course.

Exactly. All right. So uh the person obviously because is suffering from insomnia, looks dreadful. And uh he was explaining what he does to try to fall asleep. For example, counting sheep, stretching, and he also said that he tried different breathing techniques.

Okay, so basically a technique is an approach to something, a kind of method. But in this case we're talking about breathing techniques. So for some people, one breathing technique is breathing in through your nose and breathing out through your mouth. Like that. So that's one kind of technique.

So a technique as you say is a way of doing something. So breathing techniques are different ways of breathing. So maybe you will relax, so maybe you'll fall asleep, things like this.

Exactly, it's one of those things that you might learn about in a yoga class, for example, different breathing techniques.

Right. And uh you can combine techniques with other words as well, adding the ING. For example, you have uh uh walking techniques, maybe to put less stress on your knees.

Mhm.

Or running technique, swimming techniques. So I think there's a technique for almost everything.

Just about. Anything you can do, there's a technique for it, I think.

Right. Yeah, yeah, for sure. All right. And uh well, moving on, he was talking about his nightmares, and he described his nightmares as disturbing. He has disturbing nightmares.

Okay, well, I think this is an important word to cover here, Marco, because we've heard the verb to disturb before. Um like, I'm sorry to disturb you. means I'm sorry to bother you. But disturbing is an adjective, it describes something that makes me very uncomfortable, right?

Right.

Exactly. So disturbing nightmares are nightmares that are not very pleasant. They they they make him scared maybe or uncomfortable.

Exactly. All right. And well, one of his friends recommended, you know what? Stop with all of this, just take some sedatives.

Okay, so sedatives are a kind of medicine that help a person relax or that help make a person tired.

Right. So I think it comes from the verb to sedate. And uh basically that is to calm down, to tranquilize.

Yes.

That's right. So in this case, we're talking about a person, but you can also give an animal sedatives. For example, if you want to take your dog on an airplane, the dog needs to relax, you give it some sedatives.

Exactly. And I think uh when he mentioned a specific name of a sedative, it's melatonin.

That's right. So melatonin, melatonin, is a chemical that our bodies naturally produce that help calm us down. And so a lot of pharmaceutical companies or drug companies sell melatonin in a pill form. It's basically, it's a chemical that helps you relax.

Exactly. So obviously if you take melatonin, you're going to feel sleepy or you're going to be very relaxed and you're going to fall asleep a lot easier.

Well, hopefully.

Hopefully. That's right. So and uh well, the whole thing that we've been talking about, insomnia, sleepwalking. These are called sleeping disorders.

Right, or you might also hear the term sleep disorders. They mean problems with sleeping. So people who either cannot fall asleep or people who have bad dreams or people who sleepwalk.

Exactly. So a disorder is something of an illness or a condition that is not normal. So for example, as you said, a sleeping disorder or a sleep disorder, it means that you're not able to sleep properly or normally.

But there are other kinds of disorders, right?

Right. I guess uh many people have heard of eating disorders.

Okay, so that's basically people who do not eat like everyone else.

Exactly. So that's what happens with a disorder. All right, so we've taken a look at a lot of vocab. Now it's time for us to take a look at fluency builder, but before that, why don't we listen to the dialogue again?

Alex, what's up with you? You look dreadful.

Wow. Maybe you should get that checked out. Maybe you're stressed?

I heard of that, but does that apply to Alex's situation?

But shouldn't he be looking into why it's been happening?

All right, we're back. So now we have three main phrases for fluency builder. Why don't we start with the first one?

Okay, so you heard in today's dialogue a an interesting phrase. I don't know if if it exists in other languages, but in English we say, when you're trying to fall asleep, there's a good technique to help you do so. You count sheep.

Yeah, I think you see it in cartoons all the time. A person is sleeping and over the that cartoon's head is a little cloud and you see sheep jumping over a fence, right?

So, yeah, basically there's a fence and you say one, two, three and the process of counting helps relax a person.

And you fall asleep. Right. So counting sheep, I guess you're not literally out in a field counting sheep, you're just imagining sheep in your head and you're and you're trying to fall asleep.

That's right, counting sheep.

All right. And um well, one of his friends recommended that maybe he should go to a doctor. And Jill said that by saying, maybe you should get that checked out.

Okay, so to get something checked out, to get it checked out. This means to have a professional give you a uh suggestion or to have a professional look at something.

Exactly. So maybe you should get examined, maybe you should go to the doctor.

This isn't just about disorders, right? I mean, what if I have a sore tooth, I could say this.

Right. So if you have a toothache, um I would recommend, ah, maybe you should get that checked out by my dentist.

Right. Or maybe if you have a bad rash, you know, your skin is very red. I say, Marco, I think you should get that checked out by a doctor.

Exactly. So to get something checked, to get something examined, uh by a doctor or a professional.

All right. And the last phrase that we have for you.

So the last phrase we have today comes from a suggestion at the end, the friend suggests taking melatonin. And uh he says, listen, taking melatonin should do the trick.

Right. So if you end a phrase by saying that should do the trick, basically you're saying, that should solve your problem. That should help you.

Exactly. So the trick, you don't have to think about what the trick is, it's just a way of saying, it should fix your problem. So, for example, when someone is fixing my car and they have one more thing to do and it's finished, he says, the car mechanic might say, that should do the trick.

Right. That means problem solved. Or maybe you're having, you want to hang a a picture on your wall. So somebody puts a nail in the wall and that should do the trick and maybe that'll hold up the painting. Done, done. Okay. So that's a way of a way of saying, that should solve the problem. This should be the solution, that should be all.

Okay.

Okay. So why don't we go back and listen to the dialogue one last time?

Alex, what's up with you? You look dreadful.

Wow. Maybe you should get that checked out. Maybe you're stressed?

I heard of that, but does that apply to Alex's situation?

But shouldn't he be looking into why it's been happening?

All right, we're back. So talking about dreaming, nightmares, insomnia, all of this. Uh what do you do if you can't fall asleep?

I don't really have this problem personally, because I could fall asleep anywhere, anytime.

I've heard some people take like warm milk before going to sleep.

Yes, some people take milk. Although I also heard that dairy products before bedtime can make you have nightmares, like if you eat cheese before bed.

I've heard that as well. I've heard that if you have seafood before bed, you'll have nightmares as well.

Um, but actually, have you ever had a dream when you are doing something and you wake up in the middle of that?

Yes.

I remember once I was dreaming I was, I was drinking a a soda and all of a sudden I woke up and I had my hand like in the air like doing the action of me actually drinking the soda.

Actually, sometimes this happens to me when I'm falling asleep. I imagine I'm on a bike or something and I I start to feel myself moving my legs. And I wake up and I'm like, wait, wait, what am I doing? So the brain is very strange, I think, especially in those times when you're kind of asleep and you're kind of awake.

Also when you wake up suddenly, uh I don't know if other people have experienced this, but you feel like you're falling or something, and you just wake up like with with a shake.

Yeah, your body moves. Yeah, it's really.

It's very scary. Your your heart starts to beat. I don't know why that happens though.

It's unusual. Well, we're curious to know what your sleep habits are. Do you have a hard time sleeping or are you like me? It's very easy for you to fall asleep.

Let us know at our website englishpod.com. All right. We'll see you guys there. Bye.

The English Pod audio review.

Listen to the meaning, then say the vocabulary word.

Fall asleep.

Go to sleep.

A drug that calms or relaxes someone.

Sedative.

A dream that cause horror.

Nightmare.

The regular time of sleeping.

Sleeping pattern.

Accomplish the desired task.

Do the trick.

People who have a medical disorder of the sleep.

Sleeping disorder.

Fall asleep.

Get to sleep.

Let's try that faster.

A dream that cause horror.

Nightmare.

Fall asleep.

Go to sleep.

A drug that calms or relaxes someone.

Sedative.

The regular time of sleeping.

Sleeping pattern.

People who have a medical disorder of the sleep.

Sleeping disorder.

Accomplish the desired task.

Do the trick.

Fall asleep.

Get to sleep.

Now say the word and hear it in a sentence.

Get to sleep.

Sometimes I need to put on some music in order to get to sleep.

Get to sleep.

Get to sleep.

I couldn't get to sleep until after midnight.

Nightmare.

I've had the same nightmare night after night for the past month.

Nightmare.

Nightmare.

I never have dreams but every so often I get nightmares.

Sedative.

They gave me a sedative before I went into surgery.

Sedative.

I often use a mild sedative in order to calm myself down when I get anxious.

Sedative.

I've heard that some people put sedatives in other people's drinks at bars in order to rob them.

Sleeping pattern.

Sleeping pattern.

I have a consistent sleeping pattern and I intend to stick to it.

Sleeping pattern.

I managed to regulate my sleeping pattern so now I can't even sleep in if I wanted to.

Do the trick.

If you start getting tired while studying, drinking some coffee should do the trick.

Do the trick.

Just add some more salt to the soup and that should do the trick.

Do the trick.

If you turn up the volume of the microphone a bit, it should do the trick.