How Do You Respond To Did You Sleep Well?

“Did you sleep well?” is an extremely common question. While in most situations, this question can be answered simply and politely, this is not always the case. As we detail below there is actually a lot of nuance around how to answer questions regarding the quality of your sleep. For the majority of situations, if someone asks you if you slept well last night, then they are simply employing a nicety or making small talk. As with most small talk, it is generally not necessary to convey too much information to a query like this. Some examples: At a hotel If you have enjoyed a good night’s sleep then you could answer as follows: “Very well thank you, the bed was very comfortable. We are really enjoying our stay.” If you have not enjoyed the best night’s sleep, answer something like: “Unfortunately, there was quite a lot of noise from the street. Would it be possible to move us to a different room towards the back of the hotel?” In the workplace In some situations, particularly in workplaces, the intent of the query may be less well intentioned. For example, a person seeking to undermine a colleague may pose the question during a meeting, in order to imply that the other person is not fully alert. If in doubt, a simple “Fine thank you, and you?” in a non-aggressive and even tone serves perfectly well.