When trying to uncover the reasons for sleep deprivation you may encounter many new terms which may be confusing and intimidating. For this reason we have decided to provide definitions for the most common terms you may encounter. To enhance the reader experience we will link definitions in our website to this page so it will be easier to follow.
Stages of Sleep – There are five stage of sleep an individual will cycle through while sleeping. Stages one through four are called Non-REM and stage five is called REM sleep. Brain activity are at their lowest during stages one and to and begin to accelerate as a person reaches stage five. A person will cycle through the sleep stages for as long as they are asleep. [1]
Deep Sleep – Also known as slow-wave sleep occurs during stages three and four. It is difficult to wake someone during slo-wave sleep and if woken up the person may be groggy and irritable. [2]
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) - primarily characterized by movements of the eyes and is the fifth stage of sleep. During REM sleep, several physiological changes also take place. The heart rate and breathing quickens, the blood pressure rises, we can’t regulate our body temperature as well and our brain activity increases to the same level (alpha) as when we are awake, or even higher. Dreaming occurs during the REM stage. [2]
Total Z – the total amount of sleep you got.
Theta waves – Are slower in frequency and greater in amplitude than alpha waves and occur during stages one and two. [3]
Beta Waves – Are associated with day to day wakefulness. These waves are the highest in frequency and lowest in amplitude and are not very consistent in their pattern. [3]
Alpha waves – Found during periods of relaxation, while still awake. [3]
Delta Wave Sleep - the slowest and highest amplitude brain waves sound in stages three and four of the sleep cycle. [3
ZQ Score - In a single number, ZQ objectively measures the quality and quantity of your sleep by calculating the total amount of time you slept (Total Z) and adding and subtracting points based on the amount of restorative sleep (Deep and REM) and disruptive sleep (time and duration spent awake) that you get throughout the night. The result is a simple, unique way to both measure and understand your sleep. [5]
Smart Wake – Technology created by ZEO to calculate the perfect time for you to wake up without feeling groggy. Because the best time to wake is during the transition from REM to Light sleep the SmartWake alarm will calculate the correct time to wake you so you wake happy and refreshed each day.
Sleepwalking – Sleepwalking can happen during stages one through four when the muscles in the body are still active. During stage five (REM) muscles are inactive so that a person cannot act out their dreams, therefore a person is not dreaming while they sleep walk. [1]
Circadian rhythm – The body’s internal clock which is adjusted by the external environment, mostly daylight. People often feel a significant change in their Circadian rhythm when traveling and is often referred to as Jet Lag.
Morning feel scores - A numerical representation of how you felt when you woke up (the higher the number, the better you felt). This is generated when you fill out your Sleep Journal.
Day Feel – a numerical representation of how you felt during the day (the higher the number, the better you felt). This is also generated when you fill out your Sleep Journal.
Sleep Stealer – a numerical representation of things that negatively affected your sleep (the higher the number, the more negatively your sleep was affected). Also generated by your Sleep Journal.
SD Memory Card – The SD Memory Card is the memory chip that is inserted in to the nightstand unit and stores your sleep data. This card can then be inserted to you computer and data uploaded to your members area of the Mwze.com website for analysis.
Coach Program – As part of your purchase you will receive customized emails explaining your data and ways to increase your quality of sleep.
Narcolepsy - Narcolepsy is sleeping disease caused by the brain’s inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles normally. The main features of narcolepsy are excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy. The disease is also often associated with sudden sleep attacks, insomnia, dream-like hallucinations, and a condition called sleep paralysis. [4]
Continuous positive airway preasure (CPAP) – A medical device worn by persons dealing with sleep apnea that provides constant air pressure to maintain steady breathing.
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[1] http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/sleep.html
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow-wave_sleep
[3] http://web.mst.edu/~psyworld/sleep_stages.htm
[4] http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-related-problems/narcolepsy-and-sleep
[5] http://whatiszeo3.myzeo.com/hp/3/whats-your-zq/