Study Buddy (Challenger): The benefits of ‘good’ sleep, and how to get it
- One in three people are estimated to have insomnia – difficulty falling and staying asleep that leads to daytime fatigue
- This page is for students who want to take their reading comprehension to the next level with difficult vocabulary and questions to test their inference skills
More exercise could be one of the answers to sleep issues.
Photo: ShutterstockContent provided by British Council
Read the following text, and answer questions 1-9 below:
[1] Have you ever wondered what type of sleeper you are? A recent study, published in the medical journal Psychosomatic Medicine, classifies sleepers into four distinct types. Good sleepers maintain a consistent sleep routine, falling asleep and waking up at roughly the same time each day. They fall asleep easily, enjoy uninterrupted sleep, wake up feeling refreshed, and remain alert throughout the day. These types of sleepers are the envy of hundreds of millions of people around the globe who struggle with chronic, sleep-related issues.
[2] For weekend catch-up sleepers, days off are dedicated to sleeping. More specifically, they attempt to cancel their sleep “debt”, the difference in the quantity of sleep they should have had during the week and the amount they actually had. Research suggests that adults should aim to sleep seven to nine hours a night. Someone who sleeps only six hours daily for a week would accumulate a sleep debt of at least seven hours.
[3] A 2019 paper published in Current Biology suggests that those whose recommended sleep fell short by five hours during the week and made up for it by sleeping extra on the weekend still experienced negative effects. These included an increase in after-dinner snacking and a decrease in overall calorie burn, by exercising less, for example. Those who “caught up” on sleep during the weekend did not experience greater benefits than those who did not. In short, weekend catch-ups appear to be a poor substitute for consistent sleep.
[4] Insomniacs exhibit classic insomnia symptoms: difficulty falling and staying asleep, daytime fatigue and prolonged sleep onset. According to the Cleveland Clinic in the United States, it is estimated that one in three people have insomnia symptoms. Studies show that insomnia negatively affects work performance, impairs decision-making and can damage relationships. It also increases chances of work-related and or motor vehicle accidents, and leads to a decline in quality of life. A 2023 study published in Psychosomatic Medicine warned that insufficient sleep and insomnia are strongly linked to an increased susceptibility to age-related illnesses and may speed up the biological ageing process.
[5] Nappers have good sleep patterns but frequently take daytime naps. In 2023, research from University College London in the UK, suggested that naps, ranging from five to 15 minutes, can help enhance cognitive performance and afford some protection against the effects of ageing on the brain. As we age, our brains shrink. Regular naps, according to the researchers, can help mitigate this.
[6] Dr Jacky Ho, a specialist in sleep science at the University of Saint Joseph in Macau, said there are many ways to go from being a poor sleeper to a good one. The World Sleep Society has published ways to improve sleep, from sticking to a regular sleep-wake schedule to restricting certain foods or drinks before bedtime and regulating the sleep environment.
[7] These have all been proven as an aid to sleep, Ho says. But improving sleep quality requires a thorough overhaul of our daily routines, he stresses. That includes limiting sugary snacks, drinking less caffeine, and less time on our phones.
Source: South China Morning Post, April 23
Questions
1. What is the benefit of having a consistent sleep routine, according to paragraph 1?______________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. According to paragraph 2, sleep debt is …
A. the amount of time one sleeps on the weekends.
B. how much one should sleep every night.
C. the gap between needed and actual sleep.
D. the difference in the amount of sleep needed as we age.
3. Which of the following findings mentioned in paragraph 3 is true?
A. There is a drastic improvement in health for people who catch up on sleep on
weekends compared to those who don’t.
B. Weekend catch-up sleep doesn’t negate the negative health effects of insufficient
sleep during the week.
C. Getting enough sleep throughout the week, including weekends, is not a factor in
adopting a healthier lifestyle.
D. none of the above
4. What are some common signs of insomnia, according to paragraph 4?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. What is the main difference between insomniacs and nappers, according to
paragraphs 4 and 5?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Find a word in paragraph 5 that means “to make something less harmful”. _____________________________________
7. What is the link between napping and brain health?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Paragraphs 6 and 7 talk about …
A. daily habits to achieve better sleep.
B. nutritional benefits of food that help promote sleep.
C. World Sleep Society studies on sleep research.
D. none of the above
9. Which is the overall tone of this article regarding sleep habits?
A. instructive
B. critical
C. informative
D. argumentative
Answers
1. They fall asleep easily, have uninterrupted sleep, wake up feeling satisfied and are alert during the day.
2. C
3. B
4. difficulty falling and staying asleep, daytime fatigue and prolonged sleep onset
5. Insomniacs have difficulty falling and staying asleep, while nappers have good sleep patterns even though they frequently take naps. (accept all similar answers)
6. mitigate
7. Napping helps enhance cognitive performance and provides some protection against the effects of ageing on the brain.
8. A
9. C