What is that one thing that we all love, especially on Sundays? Not brunch, not movies, it’s the ever-deficit ‘Sleep’?
We all love it and crave it, but nobody gets enough of it!
Is there anything else about sleep that we aren’t taking advantage of?
If you’re a German language learner, the answer is yes—there is!
Even as you’re drifting off to sleep, you may continue to improve your German language abilities with practice and the correct tools.
If you want to become fluent in German, you should take advantage of every opportunity to improve your skills. You may already know the linguistic hints and immersion tactics that can help you stay alert and focused throughout your daily, awakened language study sessions. However, it is possible that you are not making use of your evenings to improve your German language abilities.
How to Improve Your German Language Learning While You Sleep Using Language Tools
What is the mechanism through which sleep learning operates?
There have been a lot of scientific studies that demonstrate that you can maintain your language learning even when you’re ready to sleep. The majority of your “studying” will be done through audio playback, which means that you will be listening to German audio resources.
Even though we are sleeping, our brains are highly active and are thus capable of receiving and responding to information on some level. This is referred to as “passive intake,” in which data is constantly streaming through our thoughts and is capable of leaving some mental trace without our conscious effort.
Generally speaking, this will reaffirm what you have previously learned while awake. According to some research, hearing previously taught words in another language while sleeping has been demonstrated to help strengthen those words in the memory.
According to the findings, some study has even suggested that humans can pick up new knowledge when we sleep. But, before you throw your pillows on the bed and curl up beneath the blankets, continue reading…
Sleep research cannot take the place of awake research
Please keep in mind that sleep studying should only be used as an addition to, not as a replacement for, the learning you accomplish during the day.
It will take a significant amount of active, fully-conscious learning to become fluent in German. It is possible that listening to German audio while sleeping would increase your recollection of vocabulary, but it will not make you proficient in the language overnight.
We recommend that you reread the information provided in sleep-learning materials when you are awake and keep track of your progress. Notate any areas where you are still having difficulty and make an effort to push the difficult subject further in your sleep-learning session. The following day, evaluate your progress.
It’s feasible that your sleep-learning periods can add up to a significant amount of money if you maintain sufficient attentiveness. However, you’ll need some excellent study resources to keep your attention.
Use Your Snooze: 7 Great Audio Resources to Learn German While You Sleep
A sleep-learning programme is available for almost every purpose you can imagine, and this includes learning German while you sleep! Several applications can help you learn German in general, but here is a couple that might be particularly useful when you’re ready to go asleep.
SleepyGerman
Available only on iTunes (Paid)
SleepyGerman is a straightforward software that is great for individuals who fall asleep immediately but still want to get in a short but significant quantity of language review when it comes to speedy nighttime language study. Each night before you go to sleep, the app is meant to be used for three minutes to take advantage of the memory boost from getting a good night’s sleep.
The most common study format consists of auditory “A or B” examinations, essentially short quizzes in which a word is a readout. You are given two possible answers. After a sufficient number of evenings spent using this program, you will undoubtedly notice an improvement in your German vocabulary.
50 Languages
Available on: iTunes, Google Play
Friendly to both absolute beginners and more advanced students, 50 Languages gives a package of 100 vocabulary lessons that help you learn basic German in various contexts. You can choose a category and access a list of words and phrases, complete with audio recordings.
There’s an option to download bilingual audio if you want to listen to the vocabulary. This would be ideal when you want to immerse your brain with the lovely sounds of specific German words before you sink into blissful dreams.
As the scientific studies suggested, doing just this seems to have positive results, but make sure that the audio you’re listening to has at least some words that you’re familiar with.
Language Fluent
Available on Android
Language Fluent is a unique language study tool that you may use morning ’til night. Language Fluent takes actual media—like music videos, movie trailers, news, and inspiring talks—and transforms them into tailored language learning sessions. You may try Language Fluent for free.
vorleser.net
Available in Google Play and iTunes
This software provides access to a comprehensive library of approximately 700 audio files spanning from German literature to audio/radio theatre, among other things. You will be exposed to a wide variety of German vocabulary and speaking styles due to the wide variety of resources available. The usage of this program is advised for more experienced learners; however, confident novices can nonetheless give it a try.
It would also be good to spend $2.99 to upgrade to the pro version, which allows you to save favourites, remove the annoying advertisements, and activate the “Sleep Timer” feature. The “Sleep Timer” function will enable you to schedule a time when the app will close, and the audio playback will cease, which is a useful feature if you want to conserve battery life or if you don’t want to wake up in the middle of a completely new narrative narration!
Podcasts, in particular, are an excellent source of high-quality German-language information. You may listen to a wide range of audio, ranging from real-life conversations to more planned, instructive dialogues, to improve your knowledge of the Deutsch language before you decide to pass out.
GermanLingQ
It’s recommended that you sit back and relax while Jolanda and Vera discuss various topics in their native German.
Their podcasts are pretty brief (the majority are less than 20 minutes in length), so you may listen to them as you’re getting ready for bed. This audio is appropriate for learners at the beginning to intermediate levels.
Conveniently, in addition to being accessible for download, each audio is also accompanied by a complete transcript, which you should check as soon as you are awake and alert.
LingQ is a German learning tool that is both amusing and effective, and this podcast is brought to you by the same team who created LingQ. LingQ provides hundreds of hours of German classes for all levels, from beginner to advanced, and extensive exposure to actual German. This convenient software incorporates reading, listening, and vocabulary practice into one convenient package.
GermanPod101
GermanPod101 is a terrific resource that is jam-packed with learning content. It offers a diverse range of suitable courses for learners of all skill levels. Thanks to its intriguing themes and engaging presenters, the podcast will make your German studies both exhilarating and enjoyable.
Plug in an earbud and listen to any of the classes while you sleep to maximise your sleep-studying time. Depending on your preference, you can listen to acted-out scenarios, random chats (on topics ranging from German wedding customs to garden gnomes), or grammatical teaching.
It is advised that you listen to conversational audio rather than straight instructional audio to maximise the effectiveness of your sleep learning sessions. The latter may be less immersive since there may be too much English in the discussion. In contrast, German dialogues would most likely include a greater range of terminology that your brain can filter through more easily.
However, regardless of what you choose to listen to, it is recommended that you read the accompanying written transcript when you are not too tired.
Slow German
The title is straightforward and to the point. This podcast is intended to integrate you into your new German environment gently and progressively. Annik Rubens, a journalist, based in Germany, serves as the show’s host and narrator. In each episode, Annik instructs you on how to navigate through various circumstances, discusses important German historical people, and even talks about beer!
Because there are episodes available in both English and German, the podcast is ideal for beginners. Also included are a few episodes that are nearly entirely in German and are intended for intermediate learners. Annik talks slowly enough that you may pick up each word without feeling like you’re stumbling over your words. Due to all of this, Slow German is a wonderful source for some nice, orderly sleep learning, and it may even serve as an effective lullaby for certain children.
