Sleeplessness and Circadian Rhythm Disorder Glossary of Terms

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

Abnormal: Outside the expected norm, or uncharacteristic of a particular patient.

Alzheimer disease: See: Alzheimer's disease.

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

Blind: 1. Unable to see. Without part or all of the sense of sight.
2....

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

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

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...

Cognitive: Having to do with thought, judgment, or knowledge.

Contrast: Short for "contrast media." Contrast media are X-ray dyes used to provide contra...

Dysfunction: Difficult function or abnormal function.

Endocrine: Pertaining to hormones and the glands that make and secrete them into the blood...

Epilepsy (seizure disorder): When nerve cells in the brain fire electrical impulses...

Exacerbate: To make worse. For example, smoking may exacerbate lung disease.

Excessive daytime sleepiness: A neurological disorder in which there is a sudden recurrent...

Family history: The family structure and relationships within the family, including inform...

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 ...

Gastrointestinal: Adjective referring collectively to the stomach and small and large inte...

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

Herbal: 1. An adjective, referring to herbs, as in an herbal tea.
2. A...

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 ...

Immune: Protected against infection, usually by the presence of antibodies.

Immunosuppressive: 1. Pertaining to immunosuppression, the suppression of the immun...

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

Internal medicine: The medical specialty dedicated to the diagnosis and medical treatment ...

Intervention: The act of intervening, interfering or interceding with the intent of modify...

Jet lag: A temporary disorder that causes fatigue, insomnia, and other symptoms as a resu...

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...

Modafinil: An oral drug first approved by the FDA in 1998 for the treatment of narcolepsy,...

MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging.

Narcolepsy: A neurological disorder that is marked by the recurrent, sudden, uncontrollabl...

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...

Objective: In a microscope, the objective (also called the objective lens) is the lens nea...

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

Pacemaker: A system that sends electrical impulses to the heart in order to set the hear...

Pediatric: Pertaining to children.

Pediatrics: The field of medicine that is concerned with the health of infants, children, ...

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...

Prognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan...

Progressive: Increasing in scope or severity, advancing, or going forward. For example, a ...

Psychiatry: The medical specialty that is concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, and tr...

Pulmonology: The study and science of the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the lungs....

Rebound: The reversal of response upon withdrawal of a stimulus.

Sensitivity: 1. In psychology, the quality of being sensitive. As, for example, sen...

Sleep: The body's rest cycle.

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...

Sleeplessness: Insomnia. See also Fatal familial insomnia.

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

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

Sundowning: also known as Sundown Syndrome, a term used to refer to behavioral changes tha...

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

Systemic: Affecting the entire body. A systemic disease such as diabetes can affect the wh...

Therapeutic: Relating to therapeutics, the branch of medicine that is concerned specifical...

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

Wrist: The part of the hand that is nearest the forearm and consists of the carpal bones a...

Zeitgeber: An environmental agent or event that provides the cue for setting or resetting ...