narcolepsy

n. a disorder consisting of excessive daytime sleepiness accompanied by brief “attacks” of sleep during waking hours. These sleep attacks may occur at any time or during any activity, including in potentially dangerous situations such as while driving an automobile. The attacks are often associated with hypnagogic hallucinations, sleep paralysis, and cataplexy and are marked by immediate entry into REM sleep without going through the usual initial stages of sleep. Also called paroxysmal sleep. —narcoleptic adj.

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Psychology term of the day

December 22nd 2024

musical interval

the pitch or frequency spacing between two sounds. Two sounds that are an octave apart (i.e., with an interval of an octave) have a 2:1 ratio of their fundamental frequencies. See also cent.