The　sleep　mode　is　utilized　to　reduce　the　energy　consumption　of　the　mobile　station　and　the　resource　occupation　of　the　air　interface　of　serving　base　station　in　IEEE802.16e　network.　In　order　to　improve　the　efficiency　of　energy　saving,　a　practical　sleep　mode　based　on　the　counter　is　proposed.　User＇s　work　mode　can　be　determined　according　to　the　user＇s　active　level　and　the　frequent　that　user　switch　between　wake　mode　and　sleep　mode　can　be　reduced　in　the　proposed　scheme.　Simulations　have　been　undertaken　to　verify　the　proposed　scheme　and　analyze　the　effect　of　the　threshold　of　counters　on　mean　energy　consumption　and　mean　response　time.　The　simulation　results　show　that,　the　proposed　scheme　compared　with　the　standard　method　can　save　at　least　30　%　of　energy.　©　2013　Springer-Verlag.