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sleep apnea

the temporary cessation of breathing while asleep, which occurs when the upper airway briefly becomes blocked (obstructive sleep apnea) or when the respiratory centers in the brain fail to stimulate respiration (central sleep apnea). It can cause severe daytime sleepiness, and evidence is building that untreated severe sleep apnea may be associated with high blood pressure and risk for stroke and heart attack. See also breathing-related sleep disorder.

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Psychology term of the day

December 22nd 2024

narrotophilia

narrotophilia

n. sexual interest and arousal obtained from speaking or hearing sexually explicit words during sexual activity. It most commonly occurs in telephone or online computer sex, in which partners talk or write while masturbating. There are commercial services that employ people to engage in narratophilia with clients for a fee. In some cases of narratophilia, however, people prefer to make obscene phone calls to strangers or randomly selected numbers, as the involvement of a nonconsenting person adds to their pleasure. —narratophile n.