Check out my essential guide on how to talk about sleeping in English.
We all need to sleep…
But how to talk about it in English?
In the following guide, I want to show you all the common words and phrases you can use to talk about sleeping.
Are you ready?
Let’s dive right in…
English Words and Phrases for Sleeping
Below are the most common English words and phrases I can think of to talk about sleeping.
Let’s take a look.
Nap
A brief, short sleep that usually happens in the afternoon.
We usually say a nap.
I usually take a nap in the afternoon just after lunch.
I slept really badly last night, so I took a nap later in the day.
Kip
A British word to mean sleep. Sometimes it means a short sleep, like a nap. We can say a kip or some kip.
I’m shattered, I’m going to get some kip.
It was just after lunch and John said he needed a kip.
Shut-Eye
An American informal term to mean sleep. Usually, we should say some shut-eye.
As soon as I get in from work, I get some shut-eye.
If I don’t get some shut-eye, I will fall over.
Forty Winks
A short sleep, very similar to a nap. We often use the word ‘grab’ with forty winks.
I usually grab forty winks on the train on the way back home.
She was exhausted, so she grabbed forty winks in the staff room before the big meeting.
Crash/Crash Out
This is a verb to mean to go to sleep. It usually means to fall asleep very quickly.
I crashed out as soon as I got home, as I was completely worn out by the day I had.
I need to crash, I am dead beat.
Hit The Hay/Hit The Sack
An old phrase that means to go to bed and sleep.
In the past, the bed may have been made of hay or sackcloth. We use the words have or got with these phrases.
I have to hit the hay—I am shattered.
I got to hit the sack. See you in the morning.
Get Horizontal
A modern funny phrase that means to lie down and sleep. (We are horizontal when we sleep.)
Good night everyone, it’s time for me to get horizontal.
By the time I get in from work, I usually just get horizontal.
Get My Beauty Sleep
This is a phrase that is often used as a joke or in an ironic way.
If a man says it, it is clearly a joke!
We usually use the verbs need or get with this phrase.
I’m going to bed, I need my beauty sleep.
Well, good night, I got to get my beauty sleep.
Take A Siesta
Siesta is a Spanish word that means to sleep in the afternoon. In Spanish culture, this is very common.
Wow, I am dead beat. I think it’s time for a siesta.
At the weekend, I usually take a siesta in the afternoon.
Catch Some Z’s
A funny phrase to mean sleep.
Z’s or Zeds is to signify the sound that we make when we sleep.
I am so tired… I need to catch some Z’s…
Woah, I’m shattered. Time for me to catch some Zeds.
Words and Phrases to Describe Wanting to Sleep
There may be times when you want to express the desire to sleep.
Below are some English phrases to help you do just that!
General Phrases For Wanting To Sleep
You can use all the phrases below to talk about generally feeling tired and wanting to sleep.
I feel sleepy.
(Sleepy is an adjective to describe feeling tired and wanting to sleep.)
I think I’m going to call it a night.
(To call it a night means to end the night and go to bed.)
I’m going to turn in.
(To turn in means to go to bed.)
I’m off to bed.
(Off means to go in this phrase.)
Feeling A Little Tired
The phrases below are used to express feeling a little more tired.
Use these to express the desire that you, or the person you are talking about, may wish to go to bed and sleep soon.
I feel drowsy.
(Drowsy means a little tired.)
He’s nodding off.
(When someone starts to feel tired, they might nod their head. So in this phrase, it means the person is nodding their head and so may wish to sleep very soon.)
He’s dozing off.
(To doze means to sleep. So in this phrase, it means the person is showing signs of tiredness and may need to sleep soon.)
She’s drifting off.
(The verb drift is usually used with a ship or something that floats. A ship drifts on the water. But in this phrase, we use it to show that the person is drifting — or moving slowly — into sleep.)
Feeling Very Tired
And you can use the phrases below to express feeling very tired. And you probably need to go to bed immediately.
I need to put my head down.
I need to crash.
(As in crash/crash out — see above section.)
I can’t keep my eyes open.
I’m shattered.
I’m exhausted
Problems with Sleeping
Sometimes we have trouble sleeping. Maybe we cannot get a full night’s sleep or we don’t sleep at all. You can use these phrases to talk about problems with sleeping.
Insomnia
Insomnia is a condition that some unfortunate people have where they cannot sleep for a full eight hours.
I get terrible insomnia at times and cannot sleep at all.
Phil gets really bad insomnia, and it affects his work the next day.
Couldn’t Sleep A Wink
To sleep a wink is a phrase that means to sleep. Wink means to shut one eye.
I couldn’t get a wink of sleep last night.
I rarely get a sleep of wink from Monday to Friday, there’s too much on my mind.
Snoring
This is a condition where someone makes a loud noise through their nose when sleeping.
Usually, men do this!
My husband snores all night, and it keeps me awake.
I was snoring all night — I must have been deep asleep.
Bad Dream/Nightmare
This is where we imagine scenes that seem very real in our subconscious mind when sleeping.
I woke up last night after having a really bad dream. I can’t even remember what it was.
My daughter had a nightmare last night and she couldn’t sleep in her own bed, so she came to sleep with us.
Tossing And Turning
The act of moving our body left and right because we cannot sleep properly.
I was tossing and turning all night. I just could not sleep.
I find that I am tossing and turning most nights—I usually have trouble sleeping.
Wide Awake
Wide awake means to be the most awake and conscious that you can be. Fully awake.
I lay on the bed last night, but I was wide awake.
She was wide awake all night, as she had so much on her mind.
Light Sleeper
This means that the person does not sleep very deeply. The slightest thing can wake them.
My son is a very light sleeper — the slightest noise in the house and he wakes up.
My wife is a light sleeper so I have to be careful not to wake her.
Sleep Badly
Means to not sleep well.
I slept badly last night…
I sleep badly in hotels. I need to sleep in my own bed.
Counting Sheep
An age-old idea that is supposed to help people fall asleep. The idea is that you count sheep jumping over a gate and it will encourage sleep.
I couldn’t sleep at all last night, I was counting sheep all night.
Every night, she lay in bed, counting sheep.
Staring At The Ceiling
The act of not sleeping, but instead laying on the bed and looking at the ceiling above our head.
I couldn’t sleep a wink last night. I just lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
John had great trouble sleeping, and he feels like he spends every night just staring at the ceiling.
Talking In Your Sleep
The act of talking while sleeping.
Sometimes the person doing this might be having a bad dream.
Or they might sound like they are making perfect sense.
But what they say should not be taken seriously.
My wife talks in her sleep. She says the strangest things.
I think my housemate talks in her sleep. Sometimes I can hear her calling out in the middle of the night.
Sleepwalking
The act of getting up and walking around while sleeping.
This can be quite dangerous, and you should not try to wake the person if they are sleepwalking.
When I was a kid, I used to sleepwalk. I would wake up in the kitchen or the living room and wonder how I got there.
Craig sleepwalks in the night and his wife is becoming more concerned about it.
Trouble Sleeping
To not sleep well.
I have trouble sleeping, and it really has a negative effect on my life.
Moira often has trouble sleeping as she thinks too much late at night.
Sleeping Well
The following phrases are used to describe sleeping well at night.
To Sleep Like A Log
I don’t know why we say to sleep like a log! I guess it means the person is sleeping so well that they are like a log lying on the ground.
As soon as I hit the bed, I sleep like a log. Nothing can wake me!
I slept like a log last night!
Sleep Like A Baby
This means to sleep just like a baby when sleeping. Very quiet and not moving around at all.
I slept like a baby last night — I feel so refreshed!
I used to sleep like a baby when I was in my twenties, but now I have great trouble falling asleep.
Out Like A Light
This means to go to sleep very quickly. Like turning off a light switch.
I got in last night, went straight to bed, and I was out like a light.
My daughter got in from school, sat on the sofa and was out like a light.
Deep In The Land Of Nod
Deep in the Land of Nod is a phrase to mean sleeping very well. The Land of Nod is a fictitious place of sleeping.
I tried to wake my son this morning, but he was deep in the land of nod.
Mike didn’t hear the phone ring. He was deep in the land of nod.
Heavy Sleeper
Someone who sleeps so well that very little can wake him.
She is such a heavy sleeper. I have to call her three or four times to wake her up.
Adam is a very heavy sleeper. He will sleep through all kinds of noise.
A Lie-In/Lay-In
This is where you wake up later in the morning — or day! You have no class or work, so you can wake up later.
I love to have a lie-in on Saturday!
Bob always has a lay-in at the weekend.
Good Night’s Sleep
This just means to sleep well. A general term.
Well, I hope you get a good night’s sleep after working so hard today.
I need a good night’s sleep — I’m exhausted!
Sleep Well
Another phrase that means sleeping well.
Harry always sleeps well in the winter.
I hope I sleep well tonight. I’ve been losing sleep the last few days.
Sleep Soundly/Sound Asleep
Sound/soundly means well or good. So this means to sleep well.
I tried to wake my dad, but he was sound asleep.
She slept soundly through the night.
Fast Asleep
Fast means strong or firm in this context. So this means to sleep well.
He was fast asleep, so I left him alone.
I was fast asleep, so I didn’t hear the phone ring.
Sleep In/Sleep Late
This is similar to lie-in/lay-in. When someone wishes to sleep longer in bed.
I don’t have any classes tomorrow so I will sleep in until later in the morning.
I like to sleep late at the weekend.
Other Expressions about Sleeping
Finally, these are some other phrases we can use about sleeping.
An Early Bird
A person who goes to bed early and wakes up early. Someone who likes the morning and enjoys being up early.
He’s a real early bird — I think he wakes up at 5am most mornings.
An Early Riser
Similar to early bird. Someone who likes to get up early.
I’m something of an early riser. I like to wake up early in the morning.
A Morning Person
Someone who likes the mornings. Someone who gets up early as a regular habit.
I’m a morning person. I like to wake up and see the sunrise.
A Night Owl
A person who goes to bed late at night or maybe stays up all night. So they are up all night like an owl.
Gary is a real night owl. He likes to stay up all night.
Sleep Tight
Someone who sleeps well. A phrase we use to wish someone a good night’s sleep.
Good night! Sleep tight!
Losing Sleep/To Lose Sleep Over Something
If someone is thinking about something or they have something on their mind, then they might lose sleep about this. So we might say; I’ve been losing sleep thinking about selling the house. She has lost a lot of sleep because of all the pressure at work recently.
I’m losing sleep thinking about all the changes in the company.
A Late Night
When someone goes to bed late at night, usually well after midnight, then they might refer to this as having a late night. Maybe they went to a party or out to a nightclub. But it is an exceptional thing for them to do.
I went out with Dan on Saturday night and had a late night. I got in just as the sun was rising.
I’ve had too many late nights recently and I need to catch up with some sleep.
Conclusion
And there it is.
I hope you found these English words and phrases for sleeping useful.
Remember to practice regularly and speak all the words and phrases out loud.
And don’t forget to leave me a comment below!
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