Do You Know These Strange Sleep Terms (and What They Mean)?

Do You Know These Strange Sleep Terms (and What They Mean)?

In honor of National Dictionary Day, we thought it would be fun to test your sleep vocabulary. Check out these 15 not-so-common sleep terms and see if you can guess their definitions – then scroll to the end to see how well you scored on this vocab pop quiz.

1. Sleep Efficiency

a) Planning your day with a focus on bedtime. b) The ratio of total time spent sleeping. c) Organizing your bedroom.

2. Dyssomnia

a) Trouble getting to bed on time. b) Another name for a sleep disorder. c) Exercising too close to bedtime.

3. Sleeping Sickness

a) Feeling nauseous at bedtime. b) An old-fashioned name for narcolepsy. c) Getting a headache when it’s time for bed.

4. Cytokines

a) A new kind of Pokemon. b) Proteins that fight infection and induce heavy sleep. c) An exercise to be done at bedtime.

5. Episodic Insomnia

a) Not being able to sleep due to a Netflix marathon. b) Insomnia that lasts less than 3 weeks. c) Trouble sleeping without cable television.

6. Sleep Architecture

a) Building a better bed and investing in a premium mattress. b) The cyclical pattern seen between all sleep stages. c) Choosing a house with less light exposure in the bedroom.

7. Biphasic Sleep

a) Sleeping with thick glasses on. b) Sleep that is broken up into 2 separate phases. c) Choosing a twin bed frame for your room.

8. Sleep Latency

a) Sleeping on a latex foam mattress. b) The duration of time between going to bed and falling asleep. c) Going to bed too late each night.

9. Chronotherapy

a) Listening to music at bedtime. b) A treatment for circadian rhythm disorders. c) Planning your bedtime at lunch each day.

10. Hypnopompic

a) Using hypnosis to quit smoking. b) The drowsy state just before coming fully awake. c) Setting your alarm to play jarring noises.

11. Sleep Debt

a) Having to pay for a sleep consultant. b) Severe fatigue caused by insufficient sleep. c) The cost of upgrading to a better bed.

12. Ultradian Rhythms

a) The sleep patterns of superheroes. b) Repeated sleep cycles within a 24-hour period. c) Using bright lights to get to sleep.

13. Sleep Inertia

a) Sleeping suspended from the ceiling. b) The feeling of grogginess and disorientation just after waking up. c) Waking up with messy hair and bad breath.

14. Cataplexy

a) Sleeping with a feline companion. b) Muscle weakness caused by insomnia. c) A complex dance to be done just before bedtime.

15. Monophasic Sleep

a) Multiple phases of sleep throughout the week. b) A single long period of sleep each day. c) Sleeping while on the job. So how did you do on your sleep vocabulary quiz? If you chose B as the answer to all of the questions you’re a genius of sleep terminology. Congrats! If not, it might be time to bone up on your slumber knowledge. And don’t forget to make sure that you’re getting at least 7 hours of sleep per night to ensure that you're performing at your peak each and every day!
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