Sleep. It seems so simple, and yet it's something many of us are struggling to get, or to get enough of.

In today’s English Listening episode of Hear You Go, we’re going to dig deeper into sleep and why so many of us seem to suffer from a lack of it. The topic is vast, so we won’t address everything.

For today, we’ll explore, as I often do, the science of what sleep is, why it’s important, and how much we need. Then we’ll look at common sleep problems and the dangers of not getting enough sleep, and finally, because we want solutions, I’ll share some recommendations that might allow those of us who are sleep-deprived to sleep a little easier and better.

Are you a perfectionist?

Does your perfectionism get in the way of speaking English?

Perfectionism is something a lot of English language learners and teachers suffer from. 

But is it always a bad thing?

Are there benefits to being a perfectionist?

What should we do when being perfect is actually stopping us from making progress in English?

In today's conversation with Michelle Daniel of the Heart of English, she helps us understand how to overcome perfectionism when learning English.

Be sure to listen to the end to learn about Michelle's gratitude journaling program for English language learners. Her contact details are below in blue font.

Thanks for listening!

I've been mulling over, pondering over, thinking about three different topics and how I could possibly bring them together in one English listening podcast episode.

This is my attempt to do so.

Today, you'll hear about the concept of a doppelgänger, a look-alike of sorts, followed by a short exploration of extreme sports and the motivations that drive athletes to do these dangerous sports. To conclude, we'll learn about one of these athletes, the ocean marathon swimmer, Diana Nyad.

How are all three of these connected? Well, you'll just have to listen to find out!

What does all this have to do with learning English? 

Discipline! Courage! We could all use more of it.

Keep in mind that there's also a connection to E32 of Hear You Go: A conversation with Fernanda.

Are you ready to be inspired in your English learning? 

My guest on today's intermediate English conversation is a clleague I greatly admire. Fernanda, a non-native English language teacher based in Brazil, joins me in a conversation where we learn about what drew her to English, and then what propelled her on the path to helping people attain advanced C2 proficiency. It's an amazing story, and you'll hear us talk about the role of discipline, the importance of consistency, and when to ask for help or to take a break. 

And just as my previous guest Bistra asks learners to notice and ask "why", so does Fernanda. Curiosity and motivation are part and parcel of this English practice that can lead to greater English proficiency. 

Remember that conversations on Hear You Go are longer than regular episodes, so relax, settle in, and take your time listening. 

There is a lot to digest here:

• good ideas and suggestions for learning English

• lots of advanced English vocabulary

• a wealth of English idioms, collocations, and phrasal verbs

• pronunciation to notice, and of course, lots of messy, imperfect, ungrammatical and totally normal fast, spoken English