Sleep Disorders and Aging Glossary of Terms

1. Causes of Fatigue Slideshow Pictures
2. Take the Sleep Quiz!
3. Foods That Help or Harm Your Sleep Slideshow Pictures

Aging: The process of becoming older, a process that is genetically determined and environ...

Airway: The path that air follows to get into and out of the lungs. The mouth and nose are...

Allergy: A misguided reaction to foreign substances by the immune system, the body system ...

Alzheimer disease: See: Alzheimer's disease.

Antidepressant: Anything, and especially a drug, used to prevent or treat depression.

Anxiety: A feeling of apprehension and fear, characterized by physical symptoms such as pa...

Apnea: The absence of breathing (respiration).

Benzodiazepines: A class of drugs that act as tranquilizers and are commonly used in the t...

Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is...

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Breathing: The process of respiration, during which air is inhaled into the lungs through ...

Caffeine: A stimulant compound found naturally in coffee, tea, cocoa (chocolate), and kola...

Chin: Medically, the mentum. The lower portion of the face below the lower lip including t...

Chronic: In medicine, lasting a long time. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months ...

Circadian: Refers to events occurring within the span of a full 24-hour day, as in a circa...

Common cold: A contagious viral upper respiratory tract infection. The common cold can be ...

Congestion: An abnormal or excessive accumulation of a body fluid. The term is used broadl...

Constipation: Infrequent and frequently incomplete bowel movements. Constipation is the op...

Cor pulmonale: Heart disease that results from abnormally high resistance to the passage o...

Dementia: Significant loss of intellectual abilities, such as memory capacity, that is sev...

Depression: An illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and that affects the way...

Dizziness: Painless head discomfort with many possible causes including disturbances of ...

ECG: Electrocardiogram.

EEG: Electroencephalogram.

Emphysema: 1) A lung condition featuring an abnormal accumulation of air in the lung's ma...

Enlarged heart: Enlargement of the heart. An enlarged heart is a descriptive term that is ...

Fatigue: A condition characterized by a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency ...

FDA: Food and Drug Administration.

Food and Drug Administration: An agency within the US Public Health Service that provides ...

Gastroesophageal: Pertaining to both the stomach and the esophagus, as in the gastroesopha...

Gastroesophageal reflux: The return of stomach contents back up into the esophagus This fr...

GERD: Gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Gland: A group of cells that secrete a substance for use in the body. For example, the thy...

Hangover: A common nonmedical term for the disagreeable physical effects following excessi...

Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

Heart disease: Any disorder that affects the heart. Sometimes the term "heart disease" is ...

Heart failure: Inability of the heart to keep up with the demands on it and, specifically...

Heart rate: The number of heartbeats per unit of time, usually per minute. The heart rate ...

High blood pressure: A repeatedly elevated blood pressure exceeding 140 over 90 mmHg. Chro...

Hormone: A chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the activit...

Hygiene: The science of preventive medicine and the preservation of health. Also commonly ...

Insomnia: The perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep due to a number ...

Laboratory: A place for doing tests and research procedures, and for preparing chemicals a...

Leg: In popular usage, the part of the body from the top of the thigh down to the foot, an...

Limb: An arm or a leg.

Long-term care facility: A facility that provides rehabilitative, restorative, and/or ongo...

Medical school: A school with a curriculum leading to a medical degree. The mission of eve...

Melatonin: A hormone that is produced by the pineal gland and is intimately involved in re...

MPH: Master of public health, a degree designating successful training in analyzing past, ...

Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

Myoclonus: A condition of abnormal contraction of muscles or portions of muscles.

Nasal: Having to do with the nose.

Neurological: Having to do with the nerves or the nervous system as, for example, a neurol...

Neurology: The medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders o...

Nicotine: An alkaloid (a nitrogen-containing chemical) made by the tobacco plant or produc...

Obstruction: Blockage of a passageway. See, for example: Airway obstruction; Intestinal o...

Onset: In medicine, the first appearance of the signs or symptoms of an illness as, for ex...

Overweight: The term "overweight" is used in two different ways. In one sense it is a way ...

Oxygen: The odorless gas that is present in the air and necessary to maintain life. Oxygen...

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

Palpitations: Unpleasant sensations of irregular and/or forceful beating of the heart. In ...

Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

Pineal gland: A small gland that is located near the center of the brain. This gland secre...

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

Prescription drug: A drug requiring a prescription, as opposed to an over-the-counter dr...

Psychosis: In the general sense, a mental illness that markedly interferes with a person'...

Pulse: The rhythmic dilation of an artery that results from beating of the heart. Pulse is...

Quality of life: The patient's ability to enjoy normal life activities. Quality of life is...

Referral: The recommendation of a medical or paramedical professional. If you get a refer...

Reflux: The term used when liquid backs up into the esophagus from the stomach.

REM sleep: REM sleep is the portion of sleep when there are rapid eye movements (REMs).

Restless legs: See: Restless leg syndrome.

Sedative: A drug that calms a patient, easing agitation and permitting sleep. Sedatives ge...

Sensation: In medicine and physiology, sensation refers to the registration of an incoming...

Sinus: 1. An air-filled cavity in a dense portion of a skull bone. The sinuses decr...

Sleep: The body's rest cycle.

Sleep apnea: The temporary stoppage of breathing during sleep, often resulting in daytime ...

Sleep disorders: Any disorder that affects, disrupts, or involves sleep. The most common...

Sleep hygiene: A series of practices and non-medical treatments for insomnia. Sleep hygien...

Sleepwalking: Purposeful moving, usually but not always including walking, while in a deep...

Snoring: A rough rattling noise made on inspiration during sleep by vibration of the soft ...

Somnambulism: Sleepwalking. Purposeful moving, usually but not always including walking, ...

Soothing: Bringing comfort, solace, reassurance, peace, composure, quietude.

Stage: As regards cancer, the extent of a cancer, especially whether the disease has spre...

Stress: In a medical or biological context stress is a physical, mental, or emotional fact...

Stroke: The sudden death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen, caused by blockage of blood...

Syndrome: A combination of symptoms and signs that together represent a disease process.

Tension: 1) The pressure within a vessel, such as blood pressure: the pressure within t...

Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment.

Throat: The throat is the anterior (front) portion of the neck beginning at the back of th...

Tired: A feeling of a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency of accomplishment,...

Tiredness: See: Tired.

Tylenol: See: Acetaminophen.

Urinary: Having to do with the function or anatomy of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or ur...

Weight loss: Weight loss is a decrease in body weight resulting from either voluntary (die...

Withdrawal symptoms: Abnormal physical or psychological features that follow the abrupt di...