The IELTS reading topics can be about the theme, highlighting key concepts or words that embody the passage’s essential meaning. You should focus on the keywords like dates, names, etc. When several questions are asked at the same time, it is easier to identify them.

The sections become more difficult as you proceed through the exam, so be sure you leave sufficient time to accomplish the last one. Read the Sleep IELTS reading answers topic and learn how to answer the questions.

IELTS Reading Answers Topic: Sleep

If you are preparing for the IELTS exam, this topic can help you a lot in your preparation. Boost your IELTS exam preparation with our IELTS reading answers topics.

Sleep IELTS Reading Answers Part A

Like many things about your body, scientists and medical professionals still have a lot to learn about the process of sleep. One earlier misconception that has now been revised is that the body completely slows down during sleep; it is now dear that the body’s major organs and regulatory systems continue to work actively – the lungs, heart and stomach for example.

Another important part of the body also operates at night – the glands and lymph nodes, which strengthen the immune system. This is commonly why the body’s natural immunity is weakened with insufficient sleep.

In some cases, certain systems actually become more active while we sleep. Hormones are required for muscle development and growth, for instance, as well as the growth of new nerve cells. In the brain, the activity of the pathways needed for learning and memory is increased.

Sleep IELTS Reading Answers Part  B

Another common myth about sleep is that the body requires less sleep the older we get. Whilst It is true that babies need 16 hours compared to 9 hours and 8 hours respectively for teenagers and adults, this does not mean that older people need less sleep.

However, what is true is that for a number of different factors, they often get less sleep or find their sleep less refreshing. This is because as people age, they spend less time in the deep, restful stages of sleep and are more easily awakened. Older people are also more likely to have medical conditions that affect their sleep, such as insomnia, sleep apnoea and heart problems.

Also Read: Jellyfish Reading Answers: Check Out the Passage for Better Understanding of the Reading Section!

Sleep IELTS Reading Answers Part C

Getting good sleep is not just a matter of your head hitting the pillow at night and waking up in the morning. Your sleep goes in cycles throughout the night, moving back and forth between deep restorative sleep and more alert stages with dreaming. As the night progresses, you spend more time in a lighter dream sleep.

Sleep patterns can be broken down into two separate and distinct stages – REM and NREM sleep, REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is when you dream. You usually have 3 to 5 periods of REM sleep each night, lasting from 5 minutes to over an hour, during which time your body’s activities increase. Breathing becomes fast, shallow and uneven, with an increase in brain activity, heartbeat and blood pressure. Although your major muscles generally don’t move, fingers and toes may twitch and body temperature changes and you may sweat or shiver.

Sleep IELTS Reading Answers Part D

Research has concluded that this sleep is most important for your brain. It is when it is most active, processing emotions and memories and relieving stress. The areas used for learning and developing more skills are activated. In fact, the brain waves measured during REM sleep are similar to those measured when awake.

NREM (Noil-Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is dreamless sleep. NREM sleep consists of four stages of deeper and deeper sleep. As you move through the stages, you become more relaxed, less aware of what is happening around you and more difficult to wake up.

Your body’s activity will also decrease as you move through the NREM stages, acting in the opposite manner to REM sleep. Stage 1 of NREM sleep is when you are falling to asleep. This period generally lasts between 5 and 10 minutes, during which time you can be woken easily.

Sleep IELTS Reading Answers Part E

During stage 2, you are in light sleep- the in-between stage before you fall into a deep sleep. It lasts about 20 minutes. In stage 3, deep sleep begins, paving the way for stage 4, in which you are difficult to awake and unaware of anything around you. This is when sleepwalking and talking can occur.

This is the most important stage for your body. Your brain has slowed right down and is recovering. Blood flow is redirected from your brain to your large muscles allowing them to mend any damage from your day at work. People who wake up quickly from stage 4 sleep often feel a sense of disorientation, which is why it is helpful to use an alarm clock with an ascending ring.

Sleep IELTS Reading Answers Part F

About an hour and a half into your sleep cycle you will go from deep Stage 4 sleep back into light Stage 2 sleep, then into REM sleep, before the cycle begins again. About 75% of your sleep is NREM sleep. If you sleep for eight hours, about six of them will be NREM sleep. As the night progresses, you spend more time in dream sleep and lighter sleep.

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Sleep IELTS Reading Answers Part G

When you constantly get less sleep (even 1 hour less) than you need each night, it is called sleep debt. You may pay for it in daytime drowsiness, trouble concentrating, moodiness, lower productivity and increased risk of falls and accidents. Although a daytime nap cannot replace a good night’s sleep, it can help make up for some of the harm done as a result of sleep debt.

But avoid taking a nap after 3 pm as late naps may stop you getting to sleep at night. And avoid napping for longer than 30 minutes as longer naps will make it harder to wake up and get back into the swing of things.

IELTS Exam Questions on This Topic

Try out these questions to get one step ahead in your IELTS preparation

Fill in The Gaps

Q1. REM sleep can help reduce _____________________.

Q2.  During REM sleep, __________________ are similar to those recorded whilst awake.

Q3.  During Stage 1 NREM sleep, you can be ______________with little effort.

Q4. Suddenly being woken from deep sleep can cause _____________________

Answers: 1 (stress), 2 (brain waves), 3 (woken), 4 (disorientation)

True / False / Not Given

Q1. It was previously believed that biological processes slowed during sleep.

Q2. Teenagers lose less sleep than adults when they have a medical condition.

Q3. During the night, our sleep becomes increasingly deep.

Q4. Lack of sleep can cause heart problems and other medical conditions.

Answers: 1 (True), 2 (Not Given), 3 (False), 4 (False)

Conclusion

Were you able to answer the above questions? If you could answer the questions, you’re doing great in your preparation. If you can’t answer, you must practise more.

If you need more practice material for the IELTS exam in various sections, you must go to the IELTS Ninja webpage. You can simply get a course there and begin your IELTS preparation at home.

Also Read: Innovation of Grocery Stores Reading Answers: Learn How to Solve These Questions

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Madhurjya Chowdhury

Madhurjya Chowdhury, a web content writer in Ufaber EduTech has a very strong passion for writing and alluring the readers. You can find him writing articles for the betterment of exam aspirants and children. With immense interest in research-based content writing and copywriting, he likes to reach out to more and more people with his creative writing style. On the other side, he is an Electronics and Communication Engineer from LPU, Jalandhar. In his leisure time, he likes to play badminton or read about space discoveries. Apart from this, he is a pro gamer on PC, PS and Mobile gaming platforms.

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