Sleep Neurology Glossary

Registered Polysomnographic Technologist, the primary professional certification for sleep technologists.

The structural organization of sleep stages and cycles as recorded during polysomnography.

Alteration in the normal organization, timing, or proportions of sleep stages throughout the night.

Repetitive jaw muscle activity characterized by teeth grinding or clenching during sleep.

The degree to which sleep occurs in continuous, uninterrupted episodes rather than fragmented periods.

The cumulative effect of not getting adequate sleep over time, resulting in performance deficits.

The process by which accumulated sleep deficit is recovered through extended sleep periods or improved sleep quality.

Percentage of time spent asleep while in bed, calculated as total sleep time divided by time in bed multiplied by 100.

Mathematical determination of sleep quality expressed as percentage of time asleep versus total time in bed.

Repeated interruptions of sleep by brief arousals or awakenings that disrupt normal sleep continuity.

The temporary state of grogginess and reduced cognitive performance experienced immediately upon awakening.

Time required to transition from full wakefulness to sleep onset, measured from lights out to the first epoch of sleep.

The time interval from sleep onset to the first appearance of REM sleep, typically measured in minutes.

Difficulty staying asleep characterized by frequent awakenings or early morning awakening with inability to return to sl...

A one-year ACGME-accredited subspecialty training program in sleep disorders medicine.

A doctor board-certified in sleep medicine who specializes in diagnosing and treating sleep disorders.

A behavioral sleep disorder where an individual requires specific conditions or objects to fall asleep.

Difficulty falling asleep within a reasonable time period, typically taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep.

The amount of time required to transition from full wakefulness to sleep onset.

Abnormal transition directly into REM sleep within 15 minutes of sleep initiation.

Occurrence of REM sleep within 15 minutes of sleep onset, often indicating narcolepsy or severe sleep deprivation.

Occurrence of REM sleep within 15 minutes of sleep onset, considered abnormal and suggestive of narcolepsy.

A temporary inability to move or speak that occurs when falling asleep or waking up, often accompanied by hallucinations...

Therapeutic shifting of sleep timing to an earlier schedule to treat delayed sleep-wake phase disorder.