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• Sleep Related Terms

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• Abdominal Movement

In diagnostic sleep studies, abdominal movement is recorded. This is one of the measures of respiratory effort, reflecting movement of the diaphragm.



• Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome (ASPS)

Phases of the daily sleep/wake cycle are advanced with respect to clock time. This is classified as a circadian rhythm disorder. The sleep phase occurs well ahead of the conventional bedtime and the tendency is to wake up too early.



• Alpha intrusion

Brief occurrence of alpha activity during a stage of sleep.



• Alpha rhythm

EEG oscillations, prominent over the occipital cortex, with a frequency of 8-13 Hz in adults; indicative of the awake state; present in most, but not all, normal individuals; most consistent and predominant during relaxed wakefulness.



• Ambulatory Monitor

Portable system used to record (continuously) multiple physiological variables during sleep.



• Apnea

Literally means no breath; the cessation of airflow at the nostrils and mouth for at least 10 seconds.



• Apnea index (AI)

A measure of the severity of sleep apnea; the number of apnea events per hour.



• Apnea/Hypopnea index (AHI)

The number of apneas and hypopneas per hour. 5-20=mild, 21-50=moderate, above 51 severe



• Arousal

Abrupt change from sleep to wakefulness, or from a "deeper" stage of non-REM sleep to a "lighter" stage



• Arousal Disorder

Parasomnia disorder presumed to be due to an abnormal arousal function. Classical arousal disorders: sleepwalking, sleep terrors and confusional arousals.



• Arousal Threshold

Ease that a sleeping person is awakened.



• Arrhythmia

Irregularity or absence of the heart rhythm caused by disturbances in transmission of electrical impulses through cardiac tissue.



• Auto Adjusting Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Device (SmartPAP) (Auto-PAP)

A type of CPAP machine monitoring changes in breathing and compensates automatically by making appropriate adjustments in pressure.



• Automatism

Automatic action; especially any action performed apparently without intention or awareness.