Welcome to the Sleep Dictionary
Every area of interest has their words, their language, used extensively by those who work in the field. Many of their words are in general use and may have a change in meaning when used in their field of interest. The changes may be subtle or dramatic, simple or convoluted, nuanced or obvious.
The listings here are an attempt to consolidate words used often by those who work in the field of Sleep Medicine. This list is neither comprehensive nor complete. It is in constant revision with changes and additions.
- a
- ABG
- Actigraphy
- Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome
- Agonist
- AHI
- Alprazolam (Xanax):
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Ambien (Zopidiem):
- Amine
- Amino Acids
- Amitriptyline (Elavil)
- Amphetamines [Common brand names Dexedrine, Adderall]:
- Antibiotics
- Antidepressants
- Antihistamines
- Anxiolytic
- Apnea
- Apnea Hypopnea Index
- Arousal
- Arterial Blood Gas (Test)
- Ativan (Lorazepam)
- Augmentation
- Auto PAP
- Auto-Titrating Positive Airway Pressure Therapy
- Awake (noun)
- Awake (verb)
- Axon
- b
- Basal Ganglia
- Benign
- Benzodiazepines:
- Benzos:
- Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure
- BiPAP
- Bruxism
- c
- C-Flex
- Carbohydrates
- Carbon Dioxide
- Cataplexy
- Catathrenia
- Catecholamines
- Cellular Respiration
- Central Nervous System
- Central Sleep Apnea
- Cheyne Stokes Breathing
- Chronic insomnia
- Circadian Rhythm
- Clonazepam (Klonopin):
- Cognition
- Complex Sleep Apnea
- Concerta
- Confusional Arousals
- Conscious
- Consciousness
- Constant Positive Airway Pressure
- CPAP
- CPAP device
- CPAP failure:
- CPAP Mask
- CPAP non compliance
- Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril):
- d
- Dalmane (Flurazepam):
- Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome
- Dendrite
- Dexmethylphenidate
- Dopamine
- Dopamine agonist
- Doxepin (Silenor):
- Duration of Sleep
- e
- Eating Disorder During Sleep
- ECG
- EEG
- EKG
- Elavil (Amitriptyline)
- Electro-oculogram
- Electrocardiogram
- Electroencephalogram
- Electromyogram
- EMG
- Enuresis
- EOG
- EPR
- Epworth
- eXciteOSA
- Expiratory Pressure Release
- f
- Fatal Familial Insomnia
- Ferritin
- Fiberoptic
- Flexeril (Cyclobenzaprine):
- Flurazepam (Dalmane):
- Focalin
- g
- GABA:
- Gabapentin (Neurontin):
- Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid:
- Ganglia
- Ganglion
- Glycoprotein
- h
- Histamine
- Histaminergic
- Home Sleep Apnea Test
- Hygiene Sleep
- Hypersomnia
- Hypnagogic
- Hypnagogic Hallucinations:
- Hypnic Jerk
- Hypnopompic:
- Hypnopompic Hallucinations:
- Hypnotic (Describing a drug)
- Hypocretin (Orexin)
- Hypoglossal nerve stimulation:
- Hypopnea
- Hypopnea Index
- Hypothalamus
- i
- Idiopathic
- Idiopathic Hypersomnia
- Idiopathic Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome
- Impulse control Disorder
- Insomnia
- Inspire
- Insufficient Sleep Syndrome
- Iron
- Iron Binding Capacity (Total Iron Binding Capacity – TIBC)
- Iron Blood level (Measured in serum from blood)
- Iron, percent saturation
- Irregular Sleep-Wake Rhythm Disorder
- j
- Jet Lag
- k
- Kleine-Levin Syndrome
- Klonopin (Clonazepam):
- l
- Laryngoscopy
- Larynx
- Laser-Assisted Uvulopalatoplasty
- LAUP
- Leg Cramps
- Lewy Bodies
- Lewy Body Dementia
- Long Sleeper
- Lorazepam (Ativan):
- m
- MAD
- Maintenance of Wakefulness Test
- Mandible
- Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD)
- Maxilla
- Maxillomandibular advancement
- Melatonin
- Menstrual Related Hypersomnia
- Methylphenidate [Common brand names - Ritalin, Concerta]:
- Millimeter of Mercury
- Mirapex
- Mirtazapine (Remeron):
- mmHg or mm Hg
- Monoamines (dopamine, serotonin, epinephrine, and norepinephrine)
- MSLT
- Multiple Sleep Latency Test
- MWT
- Myoglobin
- n
- N1 Sleep
- N2 Sleep
- N3 Sleep
- Nanometer
- Narcolepsy
- Nasal CPAP
- Nepro
- Neurologist
- Neuromelanin
- Neuron
- Neurontin (Gabapentin):
- Neuropeptide:
- Neurotransmitters
- Night Terrors
- Nightmare Disorder
- Non-24 Sleep Phase
- Non-REM Sleep
- Nuclei
- Nucleus in the Central Nervous System
- o
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome
- Olanzapine (Zyprexa):
- Orexin (Hypocretin)
- Oropharynx
- Otolaryngologist
- Oxygen
- Oxygen Content
- Oxygen Saturation
- p
- Palate
- PAP
- PAP device
- PAP interfaces
- Parasomnias
- Parkinson’s disease
- Partial Pressure (of a gas)
- pCO2
- Pergolide
- Periodic Limb Movements
- Pharynx
- Pineal Gland
- Pitolisant
- Pituitary Gland
- Plasma
- pO2
- Polysomnogram
- Positive Airway Pressure
- Postsynaptic membrane:
- Pramipexole
- Pre-sleep Ritual
- Prevalence
- Psychiatrist
- Psychophysiologic Insomnia
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Pulmonologist
- Punding
- q
- Quetiapine (Seroquel):
- r
- Rapid Eye Movement Sleep
- Recurrent Hypersomnia
- REI
- REM
- REM Behavior Disorder
- REM Cycle
- REMB
- Remeron (Mirtazapine):
- Requip
- Respiratory Event Index
- Restless Legs Syndrome
- Restoril (Temazepam):
- Reticular Activating System
- Reticular Formation
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Rhythmic Movement Disorder
- Ritalin
- Ropinirole
- Rotigotine
- s
- Schizophrenia
- Seroquel (Quetiapine):
- Serotonin
- Serum (Blood Serum)
- Shift Work
- Shift Work Sleep Disorder
- Silenor (Doxepin):
- Sleep
- Sleep Apnea
- Sleep Apnea Syndrome
- Sleep Architecture
- Sleep Diary
- Sleep Habits
- Sleep Hygiene
- Sleep Hypnogram
- Sleep Paralysis
- Sleep Related Eating Disorder
- Sleep Related Epilepsy
- Sleep Related Hallucinations
- Sleep Specialist
- Sleep Stage
- Sleep Starts
- Sleep Study
- Sleep Talking
- Sleep Terrors
- Sleep Time - Measured
- Sleep-Wake Transition Disorders
- Sleepwalking
- Slow Wave Sleep
- Snoring
- Sodium Oxybate (gamma hydroxybutyrate):
- Soft Palate
- Solriamfetol
- Somnolence
- Sonata (Zaleplon):
- Stage 4 Sleep
- Stage N1 Sleep
- Stage N2 Sleep
- Stage N3 Sleep
- Stage R Sleep
- Stimulus Control Therapy
- Substantia Nigra
- Sunosi
- Superchiasmatic Nucleus
- Sympathomimetic
- Synapse
- Synaptic cleft:
- t
- Temazepam (Restoril):
- Time In Bed
- Tongue exercises
- Tonsillectomy
- Tonsils
- Torr
- Total Sleep Time
- Trachea
- Tracheostomy
- Transferrin
- Trazodone:
- Treatment Emergent Complex Apnea
- TST
- u
- Upper Airway Resistance
- Uvula
- Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty
- Uvulopalatoplasty
- v
- VPAP
- w
- Wake (noun)
- x
- Xanax (Alprazolam):
- Xyrem [Brand name for sodium oxybate]:
- z
- Zaleplon (Sonata):
- Zopidiem (Ambien):
- Zyprexa (Olanzapine):