A communication method, comprising: within a first discontinuous reception, DRX, cycle, starting (S610, S710), by a terminal device, a first timer when a physical downlink control channel, PDCCH, indicates a new transmission, the first timer being a discontinuous reception inactivity timer, DRX-InactivityTimer, wherein the terminal device listens to the PDCCH in each downlink subframe in a timing period of the DRX-lnactivityTimer, and, during running of the DRX-InactivityTimer, if the terminal device receives the PDCCH indicating a new transmission, the terminal device restarts the DRX-InactivityTimer; receiving (S620, S720), by the terminal device, before the first timer expires, an indication signal used to indicate the terminal device to sleep, wherein a status value of the indication signal indicates that the terminal device is to sleep in an active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle; and (S630, S730) (i) skipping, by the terminal device, listening to the PDCCH from a moment at which the indication signal is received to a moment at which an active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle ends; (ii) skipping, by the terminal device, listening to the PDCCH in an active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle; (iii) skipping, by the terminal device, listening to the PDCCH from a moment at which the first timer expires to a moment at which an active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle ends; or (iv) skipping, by the terminal device, listening to the PDCCH from a moment at which an active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle starts to a moment at which the first timer expires, wherein the first timer expires after the active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle starts and before the active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle ends, or the first timer expires after the active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle ends. within a first discontinuous reception, DRX, cycle, starting (S610, S710), by a terminal device, a first timer when a physical downlink control channel, PDCCH, indicates a new transmission, the first timer being a discontinuous reception inactivity timer, DRX-InactivityTimer, wherein the terminal device listens to the PDCCH in each downlink subframe in a timing period of the DRX-lnactivityTimer, and, during running of the DRX-InactivityTimer, if the terminal device receives the PDCCH indicating a new transmission, the terminal device restarts the DRX-InactivityTimer; receiving (S620, S720), by the terminal device, before the first timer expires, an indication signal used to indicate the terminal device to sleep, wherein a status value of the indication signal indicates that the terminal device is to sleep in an active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle; and (S630, S730) (i) skipping, by the terminal device, listening to the PDCCH from a moment at which the indication signal is received to a moment at which an active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle ends; (ii) skipping, by the terminal device, listening to the PDCCH in an active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle; (iii) skipping, by the terminal device, listening to the PDCCH from a moment at which the first timer expires to a moment at which an active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle ends; or (iv) skipping, by the terminal device, listening to the PDCCH from a moment at which an active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle starts to a moment at which the first timer expires, wherein (i) skipping, by the terminal device, listening to the PDCCH from a moment at which the indication signal is received to a moment at which an active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle ends; (ii) skipping, by the terminal device, listening to the PDCCH in an active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle; (iii) skipping, by the terminal device, listening to the PDCCH from a moment at which the first timer expires to a moment at which an active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle ends; or (iv) skipping, by the terminal device, listening to the PDCCH from a moment at which an active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle starts to a moment at which the first timer expires, wherein the first timer expires after the active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle starts and before the active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle ends, or the first timer expires after the active time of the next DRX cycle subsequent to the first DRX cycle ends.