Sleep is so important! It can get you through the day and help to refresh your brain afterwards. Everyone needs sleep so it’s natural that everyone would be talking about it.
睡眠是如此重要!它能让你度过一天的难关,并且有助于在事后恢复你的大脑。每个人都需要睡眠,所以很自然每个人都会谈论它。

Here are some idioms to talk about sleep! We’ve split them into the following groups:
这里有一些关于睡眠的习语!我们将它们分成以下几组:

Not being able to sleep – Creative ways to say that you can’t sleep.
睡不着-创造性地说你不能睡觉。

Waking up – Different ways to express getting up early!
起床-不同的方式表达早起!

Feeling tired – Ways to say that you’re tired.
感觉疲劳——说你累的方式。

Sleep formalities – Different ways to say good morning, good night and more!
睡眠礼节-不同的方式说早上好,晚上好等等!

Colloquial idioms – Both British and American expressions for sleep.
口语习语——英国和美国的睡眠表达。

sleepNot being able to sleep
睡不着

Tossing and turning
辗转难眠

This is a phrase used to describe when someone has not slept well.
这是一个用来形容某人睡眠不好的短语。

If you can imagine laying in bed, to toss and turn means that you would be moving and turning all night, meaning you can’t sleep!
如果你能想象躺在床上,辗转反侧意味着你会整夜辗转反侧,意味着你无法入睡。

James: How did you sleep Maggie?
詹姆斯:麦琪,你睡得怎么样?

Maggie: I didn’t sleep well at all!
玛吉:我根本睡不好!

James: Oh no, I’m sorry to hear that! Was the bed uncomfortable?
詹姆斯:哦,不,听到这个我很难过!床不舒服吗?

Maggie: No, no, don’t worry! It was just so hot, I was tossing and turning all night!
麦琪:不,不,别担心!天气太热了,我整夜辗转反侧!

A Night Owl
夜猫子

A night owl is somebody who loves to stay up late. It can be seen as quite strange to be up late, so we need a name for it!
夜猫子是喜欢熬夜的人。晚起很奇怪,所以我们需要一个名字!

Owls are, of course, nocturnal which means they only come out at night. They are naturally the best animal to fit this description.
猫头鹰当然是夜间活动的,这意味着它们只在晚上出来。它们自然是最适合这种描述的动物。

Liam: Right, time for bed I think!
利亚姆:是的,我想该睡觉了!

Margaret: Oh, okay, but it’s so early.
玛格丽特:哦,好吧,但现在太早了。

Liam: What? It’s ten o’clock!
利亚姆:什么?十点了!

Margaret: Yeah I know, I’m a night owl. I like to stay up later than most people
玛格丽特:是的,我知道,我是个夜猫子。我喜欢熬夜比大多数人晚

Waking Up Early
早起

To get up at the crack of dawn
黎明时分起床

Okay, so this one is about waking up as opposed to sleep but still relevant! The crack of dawn is seen as the first light of the day, so it is the moment that the sun rises over the horizon.
好吧,这一个是关于起床,而不是睡觉,但仍然相关!黎明的裂缝被视为一天中的第一道曙光,所以这是太阳从地平线升起的时刻。

If you are up this early then you are probably crazy and very tired. Nevertheless some people do wake up this early and this is a great phrase just for them.
如果你这么早就起床了,那么你可能是疯了,而且很累。然而,有些人确实很早就醒了,这是一个很好的短语。

Lucy: Hi Ernie!
嗨,厄尼!

Ernie: Hello Lucy, how are you?
厄尼:你好,露西,你好吗?

Lucy: I’m tired, I had to get up at 8 o’clock this morning.
露西:我累了,我今天早上8点得起床。

Ernie: That’s not early! I was up at 6:30, right at the crack of dawn!
厄尼:还不早!我6:30起床,就在黎明时分!

Lucy: You’re crazy, I would never get up that early.
露西:你疯了,我不会那么早起床的。

An early bird
早起的人

Following the theme of being up early, this is how to describe someone who wakes up early very often.
遵循早起的主题,这是如何描述一个经常早起的人。

An early bird is someone who wakes up at the crack of dawn consistently. There is also a saying in English that goes: The early bird gets the worm.
早起的鸟儿总是在黎明时分醒来。英语中也有这样一句话:“早起的鸟儿有虫吃。”

This is usually used to say that you have gotten an opportunity before someone else because you were ready while they were sleeping and not paying attention.
这通常是用来说你比别人先得到了一个机会,因为你在别人睡觉的时候已经准备好了,而且没有注意。

Julie: Marcus, what time were you up this morning? I thought I heard noises at 6 o’clock!
朱莉:马库斯,你今天早上几点起床?
我以为我6点钟听到了噪音!

Marcus: Yep, that was me! I’m an early bird.
马库斯:是的,那是我!我是个早起的人。

Julie: You certainly are!
朱莉:你当然是!

tired
疲倦的

Feeling Tired
感到疲劳

I can barely keep my eyes open
我几乎睁不开眼睛

This is a great phrase to tell people how tired you are. Maybe you have friends over and they want to watch just one more film, but you are not so keen.
这是一个很好的短语来告诉人们你有多累。也许你有朋友过来,他们只想再看一部电影,但你不那么热衷。

A great way to tell them just how sleepy you are is to say I can barely keep my eyes open with a big yawn and a stretch!
告诉他们你有多困的一个好方法是说我打个哈欠,伸个懒腰,眼睛都睁不开了!

Lyn: Wow, that film was good! Anyone for one more?
林恩:哇,那部电影不错!有人再来一次吗?

Frank: I wish, but I can barely keep my eyes open!
弗兰克:我希望如此,但我几乎睁不开眼睛!

Lyn: That’s fine, it is late after all.
林:没关系,毕竟已经晚了。

I’m exhausted
我精疲力尽了

Another cool way to say that you’re very very tired.
另一个很酷的说法是你很累。

To exhaust something means to use it all up until nothing is left. In this case, you are referring to energy in your body. Usually, we talk about resources such as oil or coal being exhausted.
耗尽某物意味着把它全部用完,直到什么都不剩。在这种情况下,你指的是你身体中的能量。通常,我们谈论的是石油或煤炭等资源被耗尽。

Exhaustion is also a medical state and means that someone literally cannot do anymore and needs to rest and recover. Usually, you aren’t really as bad as this if you say I’m exhausted!
精疲力竭也是一种医学状态,意味着某人真的不能再做了,需要休息和恢复。通常,如果你说我累了,你就不会这么糟糕了!

Brian: Well, it has been a really long day today hasn’t it, Emma?
布莱恩:嗯,今天真是漫长的一天,不是吗,艾玛?

Emma: Yeah it has, all this travelling has taken all my energy, I’m exhausted!
艾玛:是啊,这次旅行消耗了我所有的精力,我累了!

Sleep Formalities
睡眠表达

To tuck someone in
给某人盖被子

This is usually to do with parents and children.
这通常与父母和孩子有关。

Parents tuck their children in at night to help them sleep, specifically, the parent makes sure the covers (duvet) of the bed are wrapped tightly around their child so that they can sleep feeling nice and warm.
父母在晚上给孩子们盖被子来帮助他们睡觉,特别是,父母要确保床的被套(羽绒被)紧紧地包裹在孩子周围,这样他们才能睡得舒服和温暖。

Tim: Dad, dad!
提姆:爸爸,爸爸!

Dad: Yes, Tim?
爸爸:怎么了,蒂姆?

Tim: Can I watch TV for half an hour longer?
提姆:我能再看半小时电视吗?

Dad: No, it’s bedtime. Now go and get into bed and I will come and tuck you in.
爸爸:不,该睡觉了。现在去睡觉,我来给你盖被子。

Tim: Okay!
提姆:好吧!

Sleep well!
睡个好觉!

This is a phrase used to wish people a good night’s sleep.
这句话是用来祝愿人们睡个好觉的。

As you’re going to bed, you can say the formal good night and then if you are friends with the person or on any kind of informal terms with them, you can add sleep well! to which they will most likely respond, you too!
当你要睡觉的时候,你可以说正式的晚安,然后如果你是这个人的朋友或者与他们有任何非正式的关系,你可以加上睡眠良好!他们很可能会对此做出回应,你也是!

Tony: Time for bed I think, Mary.
托尼:玛丽,我想该睡觉了。

Mary: It certainly is! Good night, Tony, sleep well!
玛丽:当然是!晚安,托尼,睡得好!

Tony: You too!
托尼:你也是!

Rise and shine!
起床!

This is an informal way of waking somebody up.
这是唤醒某人的非正式方式。

Perhaps if you have friends over at your house and everyone is up and ready for the day except one person, you would go to their bedroom and shout rise and shine!
如果你家里有朋友,除了一个人以外,其他人都准备好了,也许你会去他们的卧室大喊“快起床吧!”

You may have noticed that rise and shine is exactly what the sun does in the morning. This phrase refers back to the sun, basically saying that the sun is up and you should be as well!
你可能已经注意到,日出和放光正是太阳在早晨所做的。这个短语指的是太阳,基本上说太阳升起了,你也应该是!

Russell: Lisa! It’s 12 o’clock already! Get up!
罗素:丽莎!已经12点了!起床!

Lisa: No! I’m sleeping!
丽莎:不!我在睡觉!

Russell: Rise and shine young lady!
罗素:女士,起床吧!

Sleep on it
好好考虑一夜

To do with sleep, but more figurative, this one asks someone to take a little while to think about something.
关于睡眠,但更形象地说,这一个要求某人花一点时间思考一些事情。

Usually, with a difficult business proposal, you can tell someone to sleep on it to emphasise that they don’t have to rush their decision. This can put people at ease and help you to close a deal!
通常,对于一个困难的商业计划书,你可以告诉某人好好考虑一下,以强调他们不必急于做出决定。这可以让人们放松,帮助你达成交易!

When you say sleep on it, you then have to wait until at least the day after to ask for the person’s decision again. So make sure you have time to wait!
当你说sleep on it,你必须至少等到第二天再要求对方做出决定。所以一定要有时间等!

Steven: So Mark, what do you think of our offer? Does 3 million sound good?
史蒂文:马克,你觉得我们的报价怎么样?300万听起来不错吗?

Mark:I don’t know Steve, I still need to think about it.
马克:我不认识史蒂夫,我还需要考虑一下。

Steven: No problem! I’ll tell you what, sleep on it and let me know in the morning!
史蒂文:没问题!我会告诉你什么,睡一觉,早上告诉我!

Mark: Sounds great Steven, thanks a lot.
马克:听起来不错,史蒂文,非常感谢。

Colloquial Idioms
口语成语

To burn the candle at both ends
自暴自弃

This is a common one in British English, it means that you are waking up early but also sleeping late.
这在英国英语中很常见,它意味着你早起也睡得很晚。

The analogy of the candle is very appropriate as if you continue to do get up early (light the candle at the top) and go to bed late (light the candle at the bottom), there will eventually be no candle left. In real terms, if you do this regularly, you will always be tired and unable to function to the best of your ability.
蜡烛的比喻是非常恰当的,如果你继续早起(在顶部点燃蜡烛)和晚睡(在底部点燃蜡烛),最终将没有蜡烛剩下。事实上,如果你经常这样做,你会一直很累,无法发挥你最大的能力。

Janet: Keith, you look so tired today!
珍妮特:基思,你今天看起来很累!

Keith: I know, I was up late working and then I got up early this morning to get to work.
基思:我知道,我上班迟到了,然后我今天早上起得很早去上班。

Janet: Keith, that’s bad for your health, you’re burning the candle at both ends!
珍妮特:基思,这对你的健康不好,你在自暴自弃!

Keith: I know. I’ll try to go to bed earlier tonight.
基思:我知道。今晚我想早点睡觉。

To sleep like a baby
像婴儿一样睡得安稳

This is quite a clear one, it means to have a fantastic night’s sleep or sleep very well. It is a bit of a strange phrase if you think about it!
这是很清楚的一个,它意味着要有一个美妙的夜晚的睡眠或睡眠非常好。如果你仔细想想,这是一个有点奇怪的短语!

It’s supposed to mean that you sleep very well or have slept very deeply, but when you think about how easy it can be to wake a baby up with just a small noise, it seems quite a strange choice!
这应该意味着你睡得很好,或者睡得很深,但是当你想到用一点小噪音吵醒婴儿是多么容易的时候,这似乎是一个很奇怪的选择!

Nevertheless, you can see where it’s coming from and what it’s trying to say. Usually you say this phrase in the past tense if someone asks you “how did you sleep?”
然而,你可以看到它来自哪里,它想说什么。通常,如果有人问你“你睡得怎么样?”,你会用过去时说这个短语。他说:“这是一个很好的选择。”

Mary: Good morning Alan, how did you sleep?
玛丽:早上好,艾伦,你睡得怎么样?

Alan: Do you know what, Mary, I slept like a baby! I feel so refreshed!
艾伦:你知道吗,玛丽,我睡得像个婴儿!我觉得很精神!

Mary: I’m glad!
玛丽:我很高兴!

To sleep like a rock / to sleep like a log
睡得像石头/睡得像木头

This is another one to say that you sleep very deeply but even more so. It’s more habitual and describes your general sleep pattern. Again, this is rather amusing as rocks do not sleep and are not conscious!
这是另一种说法,你睡得很深,但更甚。它更习惯于描述你的一般睡眠模式。再说一次,这很有趣,因为石头不睡觉,也没有意识!

If someone sleeps like a rock it is extremely difficult to wake them up, sometimes impossible. Even the loudest noise wouldn’t wake someone up if they sleep like a rock. They will not be disturbed no matter what!
如果有人睡得像块石头,很难叫醒他们,有时是不可能的。如果一个人睡得像块石头,即使是最响的声音也不会吵醒他。不管怎样他们都不会被打扰!

Joe: Nancy, did you hear those fireworks last night? I couldn’t sleep!
乔:南希,你昨晚听到烟火了吗?我睡不着!

Nancy: Oh no, I didn’t hear them. I sleep like a rock! Nothing could wake me up!
南希:哦,不,我没听见。我睡得像块石头!没什么能吵醒我!

Joe: Wow! They were so loud I can’t believe it. I thought the sky was falling!
乔:哇!他们太吵了,我简直不敢相信。我以为天要塌下来了!

Another variation of this phrase includes ‘to sleep like a log’.
这个短语的另一个变体包括“像木头一样睡觉”。

Hit the hay/sack
睡觉

This one is more American than British and is used to indicate that someone is going to bed.
这个比英国人更美国,用来表示有人要睡觉。

Usually, as a conversation winds down and time goes on, people will get tired. Someone is likely to wait for a silence and say Okay! Time to hit the hay!
通常,随着谈话的结束和时间的推移,人们会感到疲劳。有人可能会等着安静下来然后说“好的”!该睡觉了!

Then, they will wish everyone a good night and go to bed. Its a less awkward and more social way of saying that you’re going to bed.
然后,他们会祝大家晚安,然后上床睡觉。这是一种不那么尴尬,更具社交意味的说你要睡觉的方式。

Jay: Dinner was delicious Karl, thanks very much!
杰伊:晚餐很好吃,卡尔,非常感谢!

Karl: No problem Jay, it was a pleasure.
卡尔:没问题,杰伊,很高兴。

Jay: Okay! Time to hit the hay I think!
杰伊:好的!我想是时候睡觉了!

Karl: Yeah, it’s ten o’clock already. Good night!
卡尔:是的,已经十点了。晚安!

To have a lie in / to sleep in
躺着/睡觉

These are British and American ways of saying that you are sleeping a bit later than normal, perhaps until 9 or 10.
这些都是英国和美国的说法,说你睡得比平时晚一点,可能直到9点或10点。

British people tend to say that they are going to have a lie in, or they had a lie in.
英国人倾向于说他们说have a lie in,或者他们会had a lie in。

Americans tend to say I’m going to sleep in or I slept in.
美国人倾向于用sleep in。

Gill: What time are you getting up tomorrow Jane?
吉尔:简,你明天几点起床?

Jane: Well, it’s been a long week so I think I’m going to have a lie in.
简:好吧,这一周很长,所以我想我要睡懒觉了。

Gill: That’s fair enough, you have been working hard!
吉尔:有道理,你一直在努力工作!

A catnap / forty winks
小憩

A catnap is primarily an American phrase but can be used in British English as well.
catnap主要是一个美国短语,但也可以在英国英语中使用。

Forty winks is a British term with the same meaning. It’s used to refer to a very short sleep during the day. As you can imagine it is taken from the way that cats sleep during the day for short periods of time before continuing their day!
“四十眼”是一个具有相同含义的英国术语。它用来指白天睡得很短。正如你所能想象的,这是从猫在白天短时间的睡眠方式,然后继续他们的一天!

Catnaps can be refreshing and help you to complete what you need to do with greater resolve and competence.
小憩可以让人耳目一新,帮助你以更大的决心和能力完成你需要做的事情。

Graham: Tim, you look like you’ve just woken up!
格雷厄姆:蒂姆,你看起来好像刚醒过来!

Tim: That’s because I have!
那是因为我确实如此!

Graham: But it’s 1 o’clock in the afternoon!
格雷厄姆:但是现在是下午1点!

Tim: I know, it was just a quick catnap! Now I’m ready for the rest of the day.  
我知道那只是一个短暂的小睡!现在我已经准备好迎接剩下的一天了。

Sleep tight (don’t let the bedbugs bite)
睡个好觉(别让臭虫咬)

Now, bear with me here. Saying sleep tight to someone by itself is a way of saying have a good sleep or a variation on sleep well.
现在,在这里忍受我。单独对某人说“睡得好”是一种表达“睡得好”或“睡眠好”的变化的方式。

Don’t let the bedbugs bite is a joke that is added to the phrase to make it funny. This is usually only used in an informal setting with friends or family. Also, note that it could scare children to say this to them, they may believe that there are really bedbugs in their bed.
别让臭虫咬了,这是一个加在短语里的笑话,让它变得有趣。这通常只用于与朋友或家人的非正式场合。另外,注意到这可能会吓唬孩子们对他们说,他们可能相信他们的床上真的有臭虫。

Use with caution!
小心使用!

Mickey: Good night kids! Sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite!
米奇:晚安,孩子们!睡个好觉,别让臭虫咬!

Andrea: Bedbugs? You’re just joking, right?
安德里亚:臭虫?你只是开玩笑,对吧?

Mickey: Of course I’m joking! It’s just an expression, don’t worry!
米奇:我当然在开玩笑!这只是一种表达,别担心!

To catch some Zs
准备睡觉

This is an American way of saying that you’re going to sleep.
这是美国人说你要睡觉的方式。

It comes from the way that snoring is depicted in cartoons. When someone snores in a cartoon, there is usually a speech bubble coming from their mouths with “Z Z Z Z” coming from it. Also, this is quite an antiquated phrase and is not generally used but you may hear it as a joke to make a situation more comfortable, similar to saying they are going to hit the hay.
它来源于卡通片中描述打鼾的方式。当有人在动画片里打鼾时,通常会有一个从他们嘴里冒出来的带有“z z z z”的语音泡泡。此外,这是一个相当陈旧的短语,通常不被使用,但你可能会听到它作为一个笑话,使一个更舒适的情况,类似于说他们将要击中干草。

Another variation of this phrase is to say catch (or get) some shuteye. It may seem strange but it does make sense believe it or not!
这个短语的另一个变体是“抓住(或得到)一些闭眼”。这可能看起来很奇怪,但信不信由你是有道理的!

Nina:Hey, John, have you seen Richard?
尼娜:嘿,约翰,你见过理查德吗?

John:Yeah I have. He said he was going to catch some shuteye.
约翰:是的,我有。他说他要闭上眼睛。

Nina:That makes sense, he did look tired.
尼娜:说得通,他看起来确实很累。