English Help Online's Blog

Last night, when I was with one of my friends, I found myself using an idiom that’s quite useful: “to get my second wind”. We can also say “to get a second wind”. The meaning of this idiom is that we experience a renewed sense of energy after being tired or sleepy. For example:

I was really tired last night at the nightclub, but I got a second wind at around 1:00 a.m. After that, I was able to dance for another two hours!

A: Are you ok to do the presentation? You looked really sleepy a little while ago.

B: I’m ok now. I got my second wind a few minutes ago.

I’m always sleepy after I eat lunch, but I usually get a second wind at about 2:00 p.m.

Somebody once asked me if this feeling of renewed energy is always natural or if it’s induced by doing something such as drinking caffeine. It’s a good question and, in my opinion, I would say it’s a natural feeling that is not induced by any chemicals. However, when we get more energy after drinking something, we could say something like:

If I’m sleepy at work, I drink some coffee and it always gives me a second wind.

It’s possible to use this kind of expression: for something to give one a second wind. However, again in my opinion, that’s not used so much in English. In these situation, I think more people would use the phrasal verbs: “pick up” or “perk up”. For example:

If I’m sleepy at work, I drink some coffee and that always picks me up.

I was sleepy after lunch, so I drank some Coke and it really perked me up.

I hope that everyone is having a great week!