Improving Sleep Habits | Learn German in English

About This Lesson

Use Improving Sleep Habits to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Meine Schlafqualität ist schlecht, auch wenn ich früh ins Bett gehe.

MY-nuh SHLAHF-kvah-lee-TAIT ist SHLEKHT, owkh ven ikh fryoo ins BET GAY-uh. My sleep quality has been poor even when I go to bed early.

Wie sieht deine Abendroutine aus?

VEE ZEET DYE-nuh AH-bent-roo-TEE-nuh ows? What does your evening routine look like?

Ich trinke nach dem Abendessen Kaffee und schaue im Bett auf mein Handy.

ikh TRINK-uh nahkh daym AH-bent-ess-en ka-FAY oont SHOW-uh im bet owf mine HEN-dee. I drink coffee after dinner and check my phone in bed.

Sowohl Koffein als auch Bildschirmzeit können es schwerer machen, zur Ruhe zu kommen.

zoh-VOHL kof-FINE als owkh BILT-shirm-tsite KUR-nen ess SHVARE-er MAKH-en, tsoor ROO-uh tsoo KOM-en. Both caffeine and screen time can make it harder to wind down.

Ich kann nicht alles auf einmal ändern.

ikh kahn nikht AH-less owf EYE-nah-MAHL EN-dern. I cannot change everything at once.

Fang mit einer realistischen Änderung an, zum Beispiel indem du nach dem Abendessen keinen Kaffee trinkst.

fahng mit EYE-ner ray-ah-LIS-tish-en EN-de-roong ahn, tsoom BYE-shpeel IN-daym doo nahkh daym AH-bent-ess-en KAI-nen KAH-fay TRINGKST. Start with one realistic change, like skipping coffee after dinner.

Dann kann ich die Zeit am Handy vor dem Schlafengehen durch Lesen ersetzen.

dahn kahn ikh dee TSITE ahm HEN-dee fohr daym SHLAHF-en-GAY-en doorkh LAY-zen er-ZET-sen. Then I can replace phone time with reading before bed.

Eine Routine, die du beibehalten kannst, ist wichtiger als eine perfekte Routine.

EYE-nuh roo-TEE-nuh, dee doo BYE-buh-HAHL-ten kahnst, ist VIKH-tig-er als EYE-nuh per-FEK-tuh roo-TEE-nuh. A routine you can keep matters more than a perfect one.

Ich kann das eine kurze Zeit lang ausprobieren, bevor ich das Ergebnis beurteile.

ikh kahn dahs EYE-nuh KUR-tsuh TSITE lahng OWS-proh-BEER-en, bay-FOHR ikh dahs er-GAYB-nis beh-OOOR-tuh-luh. I can test that for a short period before judging the result.

Das gibt deinem Körper genug Zeit, sich anzupassen.

dahs geebt DYE-nem KUR-per guh-NOOK TSITE zikh AHN-tsoo-pas-en. That gives your body enough time to adjust.

Word by Word

Meine Meine means “my” in “Meine Schlafqualität” and shows that the sleep quality belongs to the speaker. It is used before the noun Schlafqualität.

Schlafqualität Schlafqualität means “sleep quality,” referring here to how good or poor the speaker’s sleep has been. It is a compound noun made from Schlaf and Qualität.

ist Ist means “is” in “Meine Schlafqualität ist schlecht” and links the subject with its description. The form ist is used with a singular subject here.

schlecht Schlecht means “poor” or “bad” in the description of the speaker’s sleep quality. It follows ist to describe the condition of Schlafqualität.

auch Auch means “even” in “auch wenn ich früh ins Bett gehe.” Together with wenn, it introduces a condition that does not change the result. This pattern can emphasize that something remains true despite a condition.

wenn Wenn means “when” in “auch wenn ich früh ins Bett gehe,” introducing the condition under which the sleep quality is still poor. In this clause, the verb gehe comes at the end.

ich Ich means “I” and identifies the speaker as the person going to bed. It is the subject of gehe in “ich früh ins Bett gehe.”

früh Früh means “early” in “früh ins Bett gehe,” describing the time of going to bed. It is placed before the phrase ins Bett gehen.

ins Ins means “into the” in the fixed expression “ins Bett gehen,” meaning to go to bed. It is the shortened form of in das.

Bett Bett means “bed” in “ins Bett gehen.” Together with ins and gehe, it identifies the destination of going to bed.

gehe Gehe means “go” in “ich früh ins Bett gehe,” describing the speaker’s action of going to bed. This form is used with ich, and the verb appears at the end because it is in a wenn-clause.

Wie Wie means “how” in “Wie sieht deine Abendroutine aus?” and asks what the evening routine is like. It begins a question about the nature or appearance of something.

sieht Sieht is used in “sieht deine Abendroutine aus” as part of the expression aussehen, asking what the routine is like. The verb form is separated here, with aus at the end of the question.

deine Deine means “your” in “deine Abendroutine,” showing that the evening routine belongs to the person being addressed. It is used before Abendroutine.

Abendroutine Abendroutine means “evening routine,” the regular activities someone follows in the evening. In “Wie sieht deine Abendroutine aus?”, it is the subject being described.

aus Aus is the separable part of aussehen in “Wie sieht deine Abendroutine aus?” It completes the question meaning “what does your evening routine look like?” and appears at the end.

trinke Trinke means “drink” in “Ich trinke nach dem Abendessen Kaffee.” It describes the speaker’s regular action and is used with ich.

nach Nach means “after” in “nach dem Abendessen,” giving the time when the coffee is drunk. It commonly introduces a time or event that comes later.

dem Dem means “the” in “nach dem Abendessen.” It is the form of the definite article used here after nach before Abendessen.

Abendessen Abendessen means “dinner” in “nach dem Abendessen.” The phrase nach dem Abendessen means after dinner.

Kaffee Kaffee means “coffee,” the drink the speaker has after dinner. It is the object of trinke in “Ich trinke nach dem Abendessen Kaffee.”

und Und means “and” and connects the two evening actions: drinking coffee and looking at the phone. It links the verbs trinke and schaue.

schaue Schaue means “look” or “check” in “schaue im Bett auf mein Handy.” It describes looking at or checking the phone while in bed.

im Im means “in the” in “im Bett,” describing the place where the speaker looks at the phone. It is the shortened form of in dem.

auf Auf means “at” in “auf mein Handy” and marks what the speaker looks at. The pattern schauen auf something is used for directing one’s gaze or attention to something.

mein Mein means “my” in “mein Handy,” showing that the mobile phone belongs to the speaker. It is used directly before Handy.

Handy Handy means “mobile phone” in German, not a general adjective meaning convenient. In “auf mein Handy schauen,” it is the device the speaker checks.

Sowohl Sowohl means “both” in “Sowohl Koffein als auch Bildschirmzeit.” Together with als auch, it presents two things as having the same effect. This paired construction is useful when naming two connected factors.

Koffein Koffein means “caffeine,” identified here as one factor that can make it harder to wind down. It is paired with Bildschirmzeit by sowohl ... als auch.

als Als is part of the paired construction “sowohl Koffein als auch Bildschirmzeit,” where it helps connect the second item. In this construction, als does not mean “than.”

Bildschirmzeit Bildschirmzeit means “screen time,” referring to time spent using screens such as a phone. It is the second item in “Sowohl Koffein als auch Bildschirmzeit.”

können Können means “can” in “Koffein und Bildschirmzeit können ...” and expresses possibility or potential effect. It is followed by the infinitive machen.

es Es is the placeholder used in “es schwerer machen, zur Ruhe zu kommen.” It belongs to the construction describing something as making it harder to wind down, rather than naming a separate object.

schwerer Schwerer means “harder” in “es schwerer machen,” expressing an increased difficulty. It is used with machen to describe an effect on the action zur Ruhe kommen.

machen Machen means “make” in “können es schwerer machen.” It follows können in the infinitive and forms the construction “es schwerer machen, zur Ruhe zu kommen.”

zur Ruhe kommen Zur Ruhe kommen means “to wind down” or “to become calm” in this dialogue. Zur contributes “to the,” Ruhe means calm or rest, and kommen means come; together, the expression describes becoming relaxed. It is used after machen in “es schwerer machen, zur Ruhe zu kommen.”

kann Kann means “can” in “Ich kann nicht alles ... ändern,” expressing that the speaker is able to change something. It is followed by the infinitive ändern.

nicht Nicht means “not” and negates the speaker’s ability to change everything at once. It appears after kann and before alles in “Ich kann nicht alles ... ändern.”

alles Alles means “everything” in “nicht alles auf einmal ändern,” referring to all the suggested changes together. It is the object of ändern.

auf einmal Auf einmal means “all at once” in “nicht alles auf einmal ändern,” describing a single time or simultaneous action. Auf contributes the idea of at or in, and einmal means one time; together they form the duration or timing expression. It is useful with actions that should not all happen simultaneously.

ändern Ändern means “change” in “alles auf einmal ändern.” It is an infinitive after kann and refers to changing the speaker’s sleep-related habits.

Fang Fang means “start” in the informal command to one person. It tells the listener to begin with one realistic change, while the separable part an appears later in the sentence.

mit Mit means “with” in “mit einer realistischen Änderung,” introducing what the listener should start with. The pattern mit something anfangen identifies the starting point.

einer Einer means “one” or “a” in “mit einer realistischen Änderung.” It introduces one particular change after mit.

realistischen Realistischen means “realistic” in “einer realistischen Änderung,” describing a change that can reasonably be carried out. It comes directly before Änderung.

Änderung Änderung means “change” in “einer realistischen Änderung,” referring to one practical adjustment to the evening routine. It is the thing the listener is advised to begin with.

an An is the separable part of anfangen and appears at the end of the command. It completes the meaning of Fang as “start” and is separated from the beginning of the verb by the rest of the sentence.

zum Zum means “for example” in the expression “zum Beispiel.” It is the shortened form of zu dem and introduces a specific illustration of the realistic change.

Beispiel Beispiel means “example” in “zum Beispiel,” which introduces a concrete suggestion. The full expression is used to give one illustration rather than a complete list.

indem Indem means “by doing” in “indem du nach dem Abendessen keinen Kaffee trinkst.” It introduces the action through which the realistic change can be made, and the verb appears at the end of the clause.

du Du means “you” and identifies the person who should stop drinking coffee after dinner. It is the subject of trinkst in the indem-clause.

keinen Keinen means “no” or “not any” in “keinen Kaffee trinkst,” denying the presence of coffee being drunk. It is placed directly before Kaffee.

trinkst Trinkst means “drink” in “du ... keinen Kaffee trinkst.” This form is used with du, and it appears at the end because the clause begins with indem.

Dann Dann means “then” and marks the next step in the suggested routine. It connects the earlier change with the possibility of replacing phone time with reading.

die Die means “the” in “die Zeit am Handy,” referring to a specific amount of phone time. It introduces Zeit as the thing that will be replaced.

Zeit Zeit means “time” in “die Zeit am Handy,” specifically the time spent using the phone. It is the object of ersetzen.

am Am means “on” or “using” in “die Zeit am Handy,” describing time spent on the mobile phone. It is the shortened form of an dem.

vor Vor means “before” in “vor dem Schlafengehen,” placing the reading in the period before going to bed. It introduces a time relationship.

Schlafengehen Schlafengehen means “going to bed” in “vor dem Schlafengehen.” The phrase vor dem Schlafengehen means before going to bed and identifies when the reading happens.

durch Durch means “by means of” in “durch Lesen ersetzen,” marking what will take the place of the phone time. The pattern etwas durch etwas ersetzen describes replacing one thing with another.

Lesen Lesen means “reading” in “durch Lesen,” referring to reading as the replacement activity before bed. It is used as a noun-like activity after durch.

ersetzen Ersetzen means “replace” in “die Zeit am Handy ... durch Lesen ersetzen.” It is an infinitive after kann and follows the pattern of replacing one thing through or with another.

Eine Eine means “a” or “one” in “Eine Routine,” introducing a routine as the subject of the statement. It appears before Routine.

Routine Routine means “routine,” a repeated pattern of actions. In “Eine Routine, die du beibehalten kannst,” it refers to a routine that the listener can maintain.

beibehalten Beibehalten means “keep” or “maintain” in “die du beibehalten kannst,” referring to continuing the routine over time. It is an infinitive after kannst.

kannst Kannst means “can” in “die du beibehalten kannst,” expressing that the listener is able to maintain the routine. This form is used with du and is followed by beibehalten.

wichtiger Wichtiger means “more important” in “ist wichtiger als eine perfekte Routine,” comparing a maintainable routine with a perfect one. The comparison is introduced by als.

perfekte Perfekte means “perfect” in “eine perfekte Routine,” describing a routine without flaws. It is used to contrast an ideal routine with one that can actually be maintained.

das Das means “that” or “it” in “das ... ausprobieren,” referring to the suggested change or routine just discussed. It is the object of ausprobieren.

kurze Kurze means “short” in “eine kurze Zeit lang,” describing a limited period. It comes before Zeit in this duration expression.

lang Lang means “for” in “eine kurze Zeit lang,” expressing how long the speaker will test the change. Together with a time expression, it marks duration.

ausprobieren Ausprobieren means “try out” or “test” in “das eine kurze Zeit lang ausprobieren.” It is an infinitive after kann and refers to testing the change before judging its result.

bevor Bevor means “before” in “bevor ich das Ergebnis beurteile,” introducing an action that should happen later than the testing. The verb beurteile appears at the end of this clause.

Ergebnis Ergebnis means “result” in “das Ergebnis beurteile,” referring to the outcome of testing the new routine. It is the object of beurteile.

beurteile Beurteile means “judge” or “assess” in “bevor ich das Ergebnis beurteile.” It describes the speaker’s evaluation of the result and is used with ich.

gibt Gibt means “gives” in “Das gibt deinem Körper genug Zeit.” It describes providing the body with enough time for adjustment.

deinem Deinem means “your” in “deinem Körper,” showing that the body belongs to the person being addressed. It is used before Körper in the phrase receiving the time.

Körper Körper means “body” in “deinem Körper genug Zeit,” identifying what needs time to adjust to the new routine. It follows deinem.

genug Genug means “enough” in “genug Zeit,” indicating that the available time is sufficient for adjustment. It comes directly before Zeit.

sich Sich is the reflexive element in “sich anzupassen,” referring back to the body that is adjusting. Together with anzupassen, it describes the body adapting to the new routine.

anzupassen Anzupassen means “to adjust” or “to adapt” in “sich anzupassen.” It is a zu-infinitive used after genug Zeit and describes the body adapting over time.

Grammar Points

sieht ... aus

Die Abendroutine sieht realistisch aus.

dee AH-bent-roo-TEE-nuh ZEET ray-ah-LIS-tish ows.

The evening routine looks realistic.

This is a separable verb: sieht comes second, while aus moves to the end of the sentence.

vor dem Schlafengehen

Vor dem Schlafengehen ist Lesen wichtiger.

fohr daym SHLAHF-en-GAY-en ist LAY-zen VIKH-tig-er.

Before going to bed, reading is more important.

vor dem Schlafengehen expresses a time before an action; the infinitive Schlafengehen is used as a noun.

German Vocabulary

Abendessen noun

AH-bent-ess-en dinner

nach dem Abendessen

Abendroutine noun

AH-bent-roo-TEE-nuh evening routine

Wie sieht deine Abendroutine aus?

Bildschirmzeit noun

BILT-shirm-tsite screen time

früh adv

fryoo early

auch wenn ich früh ins Bett gehe

Handy noun

HEN-dee mobile phone

auf mein Handy

ins Bett gehen phrase

ins BET GAY-en to go to bed ins Bett gehe

Kaffee noun

ka-FAY coffee

Ich trinke ... Kaffee.

Koffein noun

kof-FINE caffeine

Schlafqualität noun

SHLAHF-kvah-lee-TAIT sleep quality

Meine Schlafqualität ist schlecht.

schlecht adj

SHLEKHT poor; bad

Meine Schlafqualität ist schlecht.

sieht ... aus verb

ZEET ... ows looks; appears

sowohl ... als auch conj

zoh-VOHL ... als owkh both ... and

Sowohl Koffein als auch Bildschirmzeit

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

What does your evening routine look like?

Show Answer

Wie sieht deine Abendroutine aus?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

mobile phone

Show Answer

Handy

early

Show Answer

früh

coffee

Show Answer

Kaffee

evening routine

Show Answer

Abendroutine