
Learn how to talk about your daily routine in English
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Lindsey McMahon
This is an all ears English podcast. Episode 2379. What's your daily routine? Nighttime Edition welcome to the All Ears English podcast. Downloaded more than 200 million times. Are you feeling stuck with your English? We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection, with your American hosts, Lindsey McMahon, the English adventurer, and Michelle Kaplan, the New York radio girl, coming to you from Colorado and New York City, usa. To get real time transcripts right on your phone and create your personalized vocabulary list, try the All Ears English app for iOS and Android. Start your seven day free trial at allearsenglish.com forward/one of the most common topics.
Michelle Kaplan
Among native speaking friends is sleeping routines. Listen in today to talk about your nighttime routines in English for more connection moments.
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Lindsey McMahon
Hey there, Michelle. How's it going today?
Michelle Kaplan
Oh, pretty good, Lindsay. How are you?
Lindsey McMahon
I'm doing well. Did you sleep well last night?
Michelle Kaplan
I slept okay. I slept okay. I find that if everybody in my house is asleep earlier than usual, then everything goes better for me. What. What about you? Did you sleep well?
Lindsey McMahon
I slept pretty well. I was under the covers. It's very cold in Denver right now, so I like to, you know, layer the covers on top of me and that's nice. So I was nice and warm in bed for sure. That's good. In bed by 10? Yes.
Michelle Kaplan
Oh, in bed by 10.
Lindsey McMahon
So is that more like 10:30? I guess?
Michelle Kaplan
Yeah. Okay. So is what time do you typically go to sleep? Is that a typical night?
Lindsey McMahon
Yeah, I think 10. I try to be upstair stairs and getting ready for bed by 10 and maybe in bed by 10:30, something like that. I'm just trying to get a little bit more sleep these days. Yes.
Michelle Kaplan
Yeah, it's so hard. It's so hard when you just want to have some time to relax, but yes. Do you have a sleep routine? You were saying? Oh, you're upstairs at 10, maybe 30?
Lindsey McMahon
Yeah, I try to do some meditation, some sitting meditation for about 15 minutes and then I brush my teeth, get ready, get into bed Read my book a little bit. It's a whole thing. It, it is a bit of a routine. Right. You kind of need that routine to tell your body to calm down and get ready for sleep. Yes.
Michelle Kaplan
Yeah, right, exactly. Are you a nighttime shower or a morning shower?
Lindsey McMahon
I kind of do both, actually. If I, if I work out, I'll shower, right?
Michelle Kaplan
Yeah, yeah.
Lindsey McMahon
Before bed and then I'll wake up again and shower again in the morning. So that means dry skin.
Michelle Kaplan
Yes. Okay, so today we are going to talk about a very common topic. And this is actually part one of a two part series. Yes. So this is about bedtime and bedtime routines because I realized that this is just an extremely common connection topic. It really, I don't know, maybe it's my age, but I find that I talk about this a lot with my friends. Oh, what time do you go to sleep? Everyone's excited.
Lindsey McMahon
Well, I just think there's a lot of research coming out on how important sleep is now. Right. And people are consuming this research and reading about it and rethinking their routines. That's what people are doing. They're rethinking what they're consuming, how they're sleeping, how they're living. So I think it makes sense that it's a common topic. Michelle?
Michelle Kaplan
Yeah. Do you, would you say sometimes you talk about this with your friends?
Lindsey McMahon
Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Because you also want to get a check on your life. Am I normal? I think that's what we're doing on a very like, philosophical level as human beings. When we're asking other people about their routine, you want to know if what you're doing is normal.
Michelle Kaplan
That's funny. Yeah, I didn't think about that, but I guess that's true. You're just kind of checking. Okay.
Lindsey McMahon
Is this checking in?
Michelle Kaplan
Everything I'm doing, Is that okay?
Lindsey McMahon
Yeah. So.
Michelle Kaplan
Well, that's what we're going to talk about today. We're going to talk about how to share this information, how to connect over this topic in English because it is very common.
Lindsey McMahon
Yes.
Michelle Kaplan
So I'm excited for today's episode. So let's talk about some expressions that you would use to either share information or ask about someone's bedtime routine. So let's, let's go for it. So I think that this was actually inspired by me saying or hearing this expression, that's past my bedtime. Or you could also say, that's way past my bedtime. What do you think of this?
Lindsey McMahon
Way past my bedtime. I like it. I like it. Yeah. So you're really emphasizing something is happening after you're going to be in bed, so you won't be able to attend whatever it is. Right, right.
Michelle Kaplan
So, for example, if somebody says to you, oh, could I give you a call at around 10:30 tonight? You could say, oh, no, that's way past my bedtime. Let's talk tomorrow.
Lindsey McMahon
Yeah. Oh, here's a question, Michelle. What are your thoughts on this hot takes? Is it okay to text people after, let's say 9, 9pm local time? Because do you assume that they have their, their phone silenced, Their text? Is it, you know, is it their responsibility or should you not text until the next day?
Michelle Kaplan
Such a good question. Yes. Something that I think I, that I think about a lot, actually, because I realize, I mean, this happens a lot. So what? Typically, this is bad. But I have a very hard time texting people during the day.
Lindsey McMahon
Okay.
Michelle Kaplan
I'm just busy. I have a hard time responding to messages during the day because I'm running around. I try not to be. I mean, yeah, I look at my phone, but I, I want to give a text message the attention it deserves if I, if I want to really respond to someone. So a lot of times what happens is I get into bed at night and I would just want to write back to some people. But then I always think, oh, is it too late?
Lindsey McMahon
Right, right. Oh, my gosh, yes. Good question. So we have no answer, though.
Michelle Kaplan
So we have no. So sometimes you can see if somebody's notifications are silent. Right. And then I'm very happy. I can do it. Sometimes I'll write to them. I hope I'm not waking you. Or sometimes I'll wait till the next day, but then it usually doesn't happen.
Lindsey McMahon
Right. That's the problem. You might forget about it. I, I've definitely been known to do that. I also am the same way. I don't like to text back. I'm busy. Then I'll see the text and then I'll open it. So I won't have the little dot that says unread. And sometimes I'll forget to get back to people entirely. It's so bad. It's so bad, Lindsay.
Michelle Kaplan
We're so similar. We're really. It's terrible. Anyway, but so that, but that is a good question. So here's another one. I'm in bed by blank, but I usually fall asleep at blank. So. Interesting. So in bed and falling asleep are different, right, Lindsay?
Lindsey McMahon
Absolutely. In bed by 10:30, usually falling asleep at 11. And again, a very standard, common, everyday sentence but we do share this stuff. We do talk about this, right? How, how fast do you fall asleep typically? That's different. Everyone. I like the next one. Night owl, morning person. We've talked about this. Michelle, I think you are night owl. Is that right?
Michelle Kaplan
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You're a morning.
Lindsey McMahon
I'm much more of a morning person. I'm up by these days. I'm trying to sleep until 7, but then I'll take my dog out and I want to be outdoors early in the morning. I just want to go outside, you know?
Michelle Kaplan
Yes, yes. So, yeah, and then you can ask somebody just if you want to open up the conversation. What time do you usually go to sleep?
Lindsey McMahon
Perfect. Or if we want to say something happened when you were asleep, a more creative way to say it, a more natural native way, is to say I was out.
Michelle Kaplan
Isn't that fun? That's a fun one. Yeah, I was out.
Lindsey McMahon
Or you could also say I was passed out. I was passed out. Now, this doesn't mean you, you fainted, right? It means you were asleep at that time.
Michelle Kaplan
Yep. Yeah, exactly. So you could say, oh, I, I passed out. Or I was, I was passed out. I did not hear your text message. Right.
Lindsey McMahon
Yes, exactly. So, Michelle, what about you? What time do you usually go to sleep?
Michelle Kaplan
Well, I'm usually. It's gotten later and later, but I've been trying. I mean, honestly, more like one in the morning. Whoa.
Lindsey McMahon
That's way past my bedtime.
Michelle Kaplan
Oh my gosh. Way past your bedtime? Ye. I, I don't know. So what? I, I usually. So I'm in bed by 12.
Lindsey McMahon
Okay.
Michelle Kaplan
But I usually put down my book and I usually kind of fall asleep at about 1.
Lindsey McMahon
Yeah.
Michelle Kaplan
But yeah, I'm a, I'm a night owl. That's. That's the truth. What about you? So you were saying about 10.
Lindsey McMahon
Yeah, I'm definitely a morning person. So I want to be upstairs and getting ready for bed by 10 and then in bed by 10:30 and then hopefully lights out by 11. But yeah, it doesn't always work. Sometimes I have a hard time falling asleep, which is normal, you know?
Michelle Kaplan
Yeah. Like, what's, how long does it usually take you? Or do you ever have to get up and do something else or.
Lindsey McMahon
No, I usually don't have to get up and do like, sometimes it could be 10 minutes, sometimes it could be half an hour, something like that. But you know, trying to do the right things. Like, I know I've been reading a lot lately where they say you shouldn't eat Too late. So. But I work out late. I work out at 6:45 until, until about 7:45. So then I eat dinner after that. So I'm eating at 8:39 and showering and then in bed at 10. So it's like changing that routine is not easy, Michelle.
Michelle Kaplan
Yeah, yeah, definitely. That is tricky. But yeah, I mean, I, the issue is in the morning when I wake up, like I, I'm really out in the morning. Right. I. I passed out early. Even my, My daughter comes into my room and she has to watch Daniel Tiger and start singing songs and I'm just out.
Lindsey McMahon
You are out. I love how you said that. That is so native and natural. I am just out. Yes. What time do you actually get out of bed then in the morning, typically?
Michelle Kaplan
Oh, it really depends. I mean, she was, she was in our room today at God, I think 5:15.
Lindsey McMahon
Oh, that's not easy when you're going to bed at one, right?
Michelle Kaplan
Yes, that's a problem. That's why I'm not that smart. I should be going to sleep earlier. But I would say that I usually I'm out of bed between like 6:30 and then if Dan is with them, sometimes I can sleep. I mean today like a little after eight. But that's too late. That's too late. And then I'm always rushing.
Lindsey McMahon
That sounds luxurious to me to sleep until 8 on a weekday morning.
Michelle Kaplan
But it's. But sleeping until 8, that's also with that, you know, in between visit from my daughter. Yeah. And then. Yeah, so yeah, this is.
Lindsey McMahon
And so I just want to let our listeners know how natural this conversation was that we've just been having. So we've been trying to throw in a couple of the expressions we taught you guys, but this is the conversation you're likely to have with a native speaker friend. A hundred percent.
Michelle Kaplan
Oh, yeah, absolutely.
Lindsey McMahon
So hopefully you're taking notes. Right? Please.
Michelle Kaplan
Yes.
Lindsey McMahon
All right, let's take a quick break and we'll be back. Do you ever feel like a broken record repeating the same basic English words over and over again? The words are safe. You know what they mean. But sometimes you just need more precise words to have a more profound conversation. Nuanced and complex vocabulary is one of the many things that you get in our B2 English fluency course. And now you have new ways to practice your English live, like fluency parties, open conversation club, and even weekly Q A at the personal coach level. This week only, you get a special offer on our B2 English fluency course. But the offer does end On Saturday, Sunday, save up to $50 and get a free bonus. Course expires March 30th. At midnight, go to allearsenglish.com B2. That's allearsenglish.com letter B number two. See you there. All right, Michelle, so why is this good for connection? I mean, I know it comes up a lot among friends. What else?
Michelle Kaplan
Yeah, Well, I mean, sharing routines can be fun and can also lead to sharing more information about yourself. Right. So I ended up sharing one thing and you end up telling a story. Oh, this is what happened today. This is what happened to me over the weekend. So you can show other parts of your life and your personality from something that seems as. Something so basic as when do you go to sleep? Yes, totally. It can just expand really endlessly. And again, like Lindsay said, you're kind of checking to see what's normal or. Or, you know, if you connect with someone, you do something totally the same or totally different that can just really bring up lots of things.
Lindsey McMahon
There's a really nice moment of connection that we feel. It's almost like a dopamine hit when we realize that we've. We have someone in our life who has a similar pattern, who sees life the same way. It's really cool. And we shouldn't underestimate that. And that's the beauty of learning a new language. That's why we're here. That's why this show exists. It's connection. It's the connection moment and how that feels on our hearts and our minds. Right. So when we. The more we share, the more likely we are to find that moment.
Michelle Kaplan
It is so true. I even have a friend that we. We both. We both bite our nails and the other day, and sometimes we just connect on it and we'll say, oh, when do you typically do it? Has this ever happened to you? And I don't know, I felt so much more connected to her.
Lindsey McMahon
Yeah.
Michelle Kaplan
Even something from something as silly as that.
Lindsey McMahon
That is so cool. That is the cool thing about being human. It's being able to connect with words in this way. I love it.
Michelle Kaplan
Exactly.
Lindsey McMahon
So let's do a role play, Michelle, to a real role play to supplement what we've done before earlier in the episode. Here we go.
Michelle Kaplan
All right. So here we are, friends in exercise class.
Lindsey McMahon
All right. Oh, man, I'm tired today.
Michelle Kaplan
Oh, really? Late night?
Lindsey McMahon
Yeah, I stayed up until 2am wow.
Michelle Kaplan
That is way past my bedtime.
Lindsey McMahon
Oh, really? What time do you usually go to sleep?
Michelle Kaplan
I'm in bed by 10, but I usually Stay up reading and fall asleep at 11.
Lindsey McMahon
Oh, okay.
Michelle Kaplan
Yeah. So I was out by 2:00am oh, that's good.
Lindsey McMahon
I'm a night owl.
Michelle Kaplan
I'm a morning person. I usually pass out by nine.
Lindsey McMahon
I wish. Okay.
Michelle Kaplan
It's like we did a role reversal.
Lindsey McMahon
Did a reversal here. I was surprised to see it, but I like it.
Michelle Kaplan
Yeah.
Lindsey McMahon
So we use that.
Michelle Kaplan
Keep you on your toes.
Lindsey McMahon
Keep me on my toes.
Michelle Kaplan
I love it. I love it.
Lindsey McMahon
So the first thing you said, I. I stayed. I said, I stayed until 2am and you said, wow, that's way past my bedtime. And there's a lot of fun we can have with that way. Right? That emphatic way. Yep.
Michelle Kaplan
And then you picked this up as an connection moment. To expand on this, I said, oh, really? What time do you usually go to sleep?
Lindsey McMahon
Yeah. And you said, I'm in bed by 10, but I usually stay up reading and fall asleep at 11. So it is a connection moment. We've pivoted into another conversation here, right. About our daily routines. Nightly routines.
Michelle Kaplan
And then I said, yeah, so I was out by 2am so that's just a more slangy way to say, oh, I was sleeping deeply.
Lindsey McMahon
But 2:00am yeah, very important slang to know. Right. You'll hear that. And if you hear that, you don't know that it means you were asleep. You'd think, what do you mean you were out?
Michelle Kaplan
You were going out.
Lindsey McMahon
You were confusing going to a club.
Michelle Kaplan
At 2am you just said you were sleeping. Yeah. So it could be confusing.
Lindsey McMahon
Exactly. And I said, that's good. I'm a night owl.
Michelle Kaplan
Okay. And then I said, I'm a morning person. I usually pass out by nine.
Lindsey McMahon
And again, we don't mean faint here or fall on the ground. No, it does mean that in a different context. Of course, if you donate blood, you might pass out, Right. You might faint. But in this case, it means I usually go to sleep. I. It's actually fall asleep, right. It's not really go to bed, it's fall asleep.
Michelle Kaplan
Yeah, right. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. So, guys, we are so excited because we are going to do a part two, but it's not going to be on the all new's English podcast. Guys, head on over to the business English podcast where we are going to talk about how to share your mornings with someone, how to connect over morning. So especially weekday mornings when things are kind of crazy. And so this is if, If. If you are not looking for help with business English, you still want to look for this episode because business English is human English, right? We don't just talk about things that are only for the office. We talk about lots of different things in there that you can use in your regular life as well. So this will be definitely helpful for you. So go on over, hit follow on the Business English podcast and that episode will be coming to you pretty soon.
Lindsey McMahon
Yes, I'm super excited to listen to that episode and create that episode for our listeners. So guys go over and hit follow on Business Eng and we will see you again very soon back here on this show. All right.
Michelle Kaplan
All right.
Lindsey McMahon
Very good. Talk soon, Michelle. Have a good day.
Michelle Kaplan
All right.
Lindsey McMahon
Bye bye. Thanks for listening to all ears. English. Would you like to know your English level? Take our 2 minute quiz, go to allearsenglish.com forward/fluency score and if you believe in connection not perfection, then hit subscribe now to make sure you don't miss anything. See you next time.
All Ears English Podcast - Episode 2379: "What's Your Daily Routine? Nighttime Edition"
Release Date: March 25, 2025
In Episode 2379 of the All Ears English Podcast, hosts Lindsay McMahon and Michelle Kaplan delve into the universally relatable topic of nighttime routines. Tailored for intermediate to advanced ESL learners, this episode not only explores personal habits but also introduces valuable English expressions and idioms to enhance conversational skills. Here's a comprehensive summary capturing the key discussions, insights, and linguistic tools presented.
The episode kicks off with Lindsay and Michelle sharing their own bedtime habits, setting a relatable tone for listeners to reflect on and articulate their routines in English.
Lindsay McMahon ([02:08]): “I slept pretty well. I was under the covers. It's very cold in Denver right now, so I like to, you know, layer the covers on top of me and that's nice.”
Michelle Kaplan ([02:21]): “Oh, in bed by 10.”
This exchange highlights the importance of a consistent bedtime and introduces the primary subject—their nightly routines.
Lindsay emphasizes the growing awareness around the importance of sleep, aligning with contemporary research that underscores rest's role in overall well-being.
Michelle adds a philosophical perspective on sharing routines as a means of self-assessment and connection.
Michelle Kaplan ([04:10]): “Would you say sometimes you talk about this with your friends?”
Lindsay McMahon ([04:13]): “Yeah, absolutely. Because you also want to get a check on your life. Am I normal?”
This segment underscores how discussing daily routines serves as both a personal check and a bridge for social connection.
A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to teaching listeners idiomatic expressions and phrases commonly used by native speakers when discussing bedtime.
Michelle Kaplan ([05:19]): “That's way past my bedtime.”
Lindsay McMahon ([05:29]): “Right, you're emphasizing something is happening after you're going to be in bed, so you won't be able to attend whatever it is.”
Usage Example:
If someone invites you to a late call, you might respond, “Oh no, that's way past my bedtime. Let’s talk tomorrow.”
Michelle Kaplan ([08:34]): “I was passed out.”
Lindsay McMahon ([08:45]): “I was passed out doesn’t mean you fainted, right? It means you were asleep at that time.”
Clarification:
While “I was out” can be ambiguous (potentially implying being out socially), “I was passed out” clearly indicates being asleep, avoiding confusion.
Michelle Kaplan ([07:55]): “I think you are a night owl. Is that right?”
Lindsay McMahon ([07:57]): “I'm much more of a morning person.”
Definition:
A night owl is someone who stays up late, while a morning person prefers waking up early. These terms help describe individual preferences in daily energy patterns.
To solidify the understanding of these expressions, Lindsay and Michelle engage in a role play scenario that mimics a natural conversation between friends at an exercise class.
Transcript Highlights:
Lindsay McMahon ([14:59]): “Oh, man, I'm tired today.”
Michelle Kaplan ([15:02]): “Oh, really? Late night?”
Lindsay McMahon ([15:04]): “Yeah, I stayed up until 2am wow.”
Michelle Kaplan ([15:07]): “That is way past my bedtime.”
Key Learnings:
Empathetic Responses: Using expressions like “way past my bedtime” to empathize and relate to others' experiences.
Transitioning the Conversation: Moving from a statement to a deeper discussion, e.g., “What time do you usually go to sleep?”
Clarifying Expressions: Differentiating between literal and idiomatic meanings to prevent misunderstandings, such as the term “passed out.”
Lindsay and Michelle highlight the emotional and psychological benefits of sharing personal routines, emphasizing the human need for connection.
Michelle Kaplan ([13:15]): “Sharing routines can be fun and can also lead to sharing more information about yourself.”
Lindsay McMahon ([13:56]): “There's a really nice moment of connection... when we realize that we've... got someone in our life who has a similar pattern.”
This discussion illustrates how simple conversations about daily habits can foster deeper relationships and a sense of belonging, which is especially valuable for language learners integrating into new cultures.
Throughout the episode, Lindsay and Michelle interweave cultural nuances with practical ESL learning strategies, making the content both informative and applicable.
Understanding Context: Recognizing that phrases can have different meanings based on context, such as “passed out” referring to sleep rather than fainting.
Natural Conversation Flow: Demonstrating how native speakers seamlessly transition between topics, enhancing listeners' ability to engage in fluid conversations.
Expressive Language Use: Encouraging the use of idioms and expressions to convey emotions and personal experiences more authentically.
Concluding the episode, Lindsay and Michelle inform listeners about the upcoming second part of the series, which will focus on morning routines and their relevance in both personal and business contexts.
Michelle Kaplan ([17:07]): “We are going to talk about how to share your mornings with someone, how to connect over morning.”
Lindsay McMahon ([17:57]): “So guys go over and hit follow on Business English podcast and we will see you again very soon back here on this show.”
This teaser not only maintains listener engagement but also bridges the content between personal English usage and business communication skills.
The episode wraps up with Lindsay and Michelle reinforcing the podcast's core philosophy—connection not perfection. They encourage listeners to subscribe and engage, ensuring they continue to develop their English skills in a supportive and interactive environment.
Lindsay McMahon ([02:08]): “I was under the covers. It's very cold in Denver right now... so I like to layer the covers on top of me.”
Michelle Kaplan ([05:19]): “That's way past my bedtime.”
Lindsay McMahon ([13:56]): “It's the beauty of learning a new language. That's why we're here. It's connection.”
Michelle Kaplan ([14:38]): “I felt so much more connected to her.”
Expand Your Vocabulary: Incorporate idiomatic expressions such as “way past my bedtime” and “passed out” to sound more natural.
Understand Contextual Meanings: Recognize how the same phrase can have different meanings based on usage.
Practice Conversational Skills: Engage in role plays or similar exercises to simulate real-life interactions.
Foster Connections: Use discussions about daily routines as a means to build rapport and deepen relationships in English.
Cultural Awareness: Appreciate how daily habits and routines can vary culturally, enhancing your ability to communicate effectively in diverse settings.
Join the Community
To further enhance your English speaking skills and immerse yourself in authentic conversations, subscribe to the All Ears English Podcast. Engage with hosts Lindsay and Michelle as they continue to explore everyday topics, providing you with the tools to connect confidently in American English.
This summary encapsulates the essence of Episode 2379, offering insights and practical language tools for ESL learners aiming to master the nuances of daily conversations in English.