Sleep Eating Disorders - Glossary
Arousal - This means arousal from sleep, technically implying the transition from a non-REM deep- sleep phase, to a relatively lighter phase of sleep.CPAP - Continuous Positive Airway Pressure- a machine that helps a person who has apnea breathe more easily during sleep by sending air under a constant, continuous gentle pressure.
Hypothalamus - the part of the brain that lies below the thalamus and regulates body temperature and metabolic processes.
Nocturnal- relating to or taking place at night.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) - a disorder in which breathing is frequently interrupted for brief intervals during sleep, resulting in intermittent decreases in blood oxygen levels and transient arousals from sleep, leading to poor sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness.
Parasomnias- disorders that intrude into the sleep process and create disruptive sleep-related events. These behaviors and experiences occur usually while sleeping, and are most often infrequent and mild.
Polysomnogram (PSG)- continuous and simultaneous recording of physiological variables during sleep, i.e., EEG, EOG, EMG (the three basic stage scoring parameters), EKG, respiratory air flow, respiratory excursion, lower limb movement, and other electrophysiological variables.
Sedatives - the class of medicines capable of calming the nerves to reduce agitation and induce sleep.
Sleep - The name given to those blissful hours during night that is characterized by a drop in consciousness and slow down of metabolism enabling the body opportunity to rest and rejuvenate.
Sleep architecture - Name given to the stages, cycles and time spent during each phase of sleep.
Sleep disorders - The term includes all forms of sleep- associated illnesses capable of disturbing sleep.
Sleep hygiene - A set of healthy practices inculcated to aid proper sleep. Sleep hygiene is all about tuning the body with regulated bedtime, wake-up time and consistent sleeping hours to avoid daytime sleepiness.
Sleepwalking or Somnambulism - The name given to a sleep disorder that causes the victim to walk during sleep.
