Glossary
A
- adaptations
- - physical and behavioral characteristics that help animals survive in their habitats
B
- blood pressure
- - the pressure of the blood moving through the veins and arteries
- blue light
- - short-wavelength, high-energy light, the kind that brightens midday sunlight and computer screens
C
- caffeine
- - a chemical found in substances like cola and coffee that causes people to feel more awake and alert
- circadian rhythm
- - a cycle of rhythms in the body
- committed
- - moved to
- concentration
- - to focus the brain on a topic
- consolidate
- - to join together or combine
- coordination
- - balance, smooth movements
- crepuscular
- - active at twilight or just before sunrise
D
- Daylight Saving Time
- - turning the clocks ahead by an hour in the summer to take advantage of sunlight
- dementia
- - an illness of the brain that involves severe decline of mental abilities
- depression
- - feelings of severe sadness
- deprivation
- - to be lacking - often to a serious level
- diabetes
- - a serious disease in which the body cannot properly control the amount of sugar in your blood because it does not have enough insulin
- discomfort
- - not comfortable
- disruption
- - interruption
- diurnal
- - most active during the day
- drought
- - a time of no water or rain
- drowsy driving
- - driving a vehicle without having had adequate sleep
E
- economic
- - having to do with the system of making and using money
- electronic devices
- - computers, TVs, games that run by electricity
- encounter
- - come upon
- endure
- - last
- estivation
- - long sleep-like dormancy of an animal during a hot or dry period
H
- hibernation
- - winter sleep
- hormones
- - chemicals that direct the body to perform jobs
- hyperactivity
- - extremely active
I
- immune system
- - the system of the body that fights infection and illness
- insomnia
- - inability to sleep
- insulin
- - a hormone made by your pancreas, it turns sugar into energy
- interrupt
- - disturb
- irrational
- - not usual - unique
- irritable
- - grouchy or cranky, easily bothered or angered
J
- jet lag
- - the confusion that happens to the body clock when traveling through many time zones
L
- limbic system
- - the part of the brain involved in our emotional responses and mood
- long term memory
- - memory that we hold on to for a long time
M
- melatonin
- - a hormone made by the pineal gland that helps control your sleep and wake cycles
- mucous
- - slimy material similar to spit
N
- narcolepsy
- - a condition that causes people to fall asleep at random
- night terrors
- - fearful period while sleeping
- nightmares
- - scary dreams
- nocturnal
- - most active at night
- NREM
- - non rapid eye movement - a time before or after rapid eye movement occurs
O
- obesity
- - condition of being extremely overweight
P
- paralyzed
- - unable to move
- pineal gland
- - an organ that releases hormones for sleep
- pneumonia
- - and illness of the lungs that causes difficulty breathing, coughing
- predominant
- - mostly
- prefrontal cortex
- - the part of the brain involved with problem-solving, future planning, calculating and making decisions
R
- randomness
- - not in an organized way
- reaction times
- - the time it takes to respond to an event
- regulated
- - controlled
- rejuvenate
- - to return to normal, refresh
- relaxing
- - less tense
- REM
- - rapid eye movement - a deep sleep
- reorganize
- - change and adjust
- restoring
- - to return to original
- routines
- - habits
S
- sleep apnea
- - a sleep disorder where breathing temporarily stops
- sleep deprived
- - to lack enough sleep for good health
- sleep study
- - overnight exam where doctors monitor the patient while they are sleeping to identify what is happening in the brain and body
- sleep-eating disorders
- - to get up and eat while sleeping
- sleep/wake homeostasis
- - a natural balance between being awake and asleep
- sleepwalking
- - to get up and move around while sleeping
- snoring
- - a deep noise made while sleeping
- Standard Time
- - the time kept during the winter
- stimulated
- - activate or send a message to perform a function
- stress
- - anxiety or tension
T
- temporary
- - not permanent - for a short time
- time zones
- - a geographic region within which the same standard time is used
U
- unconscious
- - a state in which the person is unaware of and unresponsive to the environment
W
- well-being
- - comfortable and happy
