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Sleep - Dictionary Definition and Overview |
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Sleep : (noun)
1: a natural and periodic state of rest during which
consciousness of the world is suspended; "he didn't get
enough sleep last night"; "calm as a child in dreamless
slumber" [syn: slumber]
2: a torpid state resembling sleep
3: a period of time spent sleeping; "he felt better after a
little sleep"; "there wasn't time for a nap" [syn: nap]
4: euphemisms for death (based on an analogy between lying in a
bed and in a tomb); "she was laid to rest beside her
husband"; "they had to put their family pet to sleep"
[syn: rest, eternal rest, eternal sleep, quietus]
(verb)
1: be asleep [syn: kip, slumber, log Z's, catch some Z's]
[ant: wake]
2: be able to accommodate for sleeping; "This tent sleeps six
people"
Based on WordNet 2.0
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Sleep : \Sleep\, v. t.
1. To be slumbering in; -- followed by a cognate object; as,
to sleep a dreamless sleep. --Tennyson.
2. To give sleep to; to furnish with accomodations for
sleeping; to lodge. [R.] --Blackw. Mag.
To sleep away, to spend in sleep; as, to sleep away
precious time.
To sleep off, to become free from by sleep; as, to sleep
off drunkeness or fatigue.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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Sleep : \Sleep\, obs.
imp. of Sleep. Slept. --Chaucer.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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Sleep : \Sleep\, n. [AS. sl[=ae]p; akin to OFries. sl[=e]p, OS.
sl[=a]p, D. slaap, OHG. sl[=a]f, G. schlaf, Goth. sl[=e]ps.
See Sleep, v. i.]
A natural and healthy, but temporary and periodical,
suspension of the functions of the organs of sense, as well
as of those of the voluntary and rational soul; that state of
the animal in which there is a lessened acuteness of sensory
perception, a confusion of ideas, and a loss of mental
control, followed by a more or less unconscious state. ``A
man that waketh of his sleep.'' --Chaucer.
O sleep, thou ape of death. --Shak.
Note: Sleep is attended by a relaxation of the muscles, and
the absence of voluntary activity for any rational
objects or purpose. The pulse is slower, the
respiratory movements fewer in number but more
profound, and there is less blood in the cerebral
vessels. It is susceptible of greater or less intensity
or completeness in its control of the powers.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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Sleep : \Sleep\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Slept; p. pr. & vb. n.
Sleeping.] [OE. slepen, AS. sl?pan; akin to OFries. sl?pa,
OS. sl[=a]pan, D. slapen, OHG. sl[=a]fan, G. schlafen, Goth.
sl?pan, and G. schlaff slack, loose, and L. labi to glide,
slide, labare to totter. Cf. Lapse.]
1. To take rest by a suspension of the voluntary exercise of
the powers of the body and mind, and an apathy of the
organs of sense; to slumber. --Chaucer.
Watching at the head of these that sleep. --Milton.
2. Figuratively:
(a) To be careless, inattentive, or uncouncerned; not to
be vigilant; to live thoughtlessly.
We sleep over our happiness. --Atterbury.
(b) To be dead; to lie in the grave.
Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring
with him. --1 Thess. iv.
14.
(c) To be, or appear to be, in repose; to be quiet; to be
unemployed, unused, or unagitated; to rest; to lie
dormant; as, a question sleeps for the present; the
law sleeps.
How sweet the moonlight sleep upon this bank!
--Shak.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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Sleep :
1. (Or "{block") When a
process on a multitasking system asks the scheduler to
deactivate it until some given external event (e.g. an
interrupt or a specified time delay) occurs.
poll_or_"{busy_wait">The alternative is to poll or "{busy wait" for the event
but this uses processing power.
Also used in the phrase "sleep on" (or "block on") some
external event, meaning to wait for it.
E.g. the Unix command of the same name which pauses the
current process for a given number of seconds.
2. To go into partial deactivation to save power.
[{Jargon File]
(2000-09-25)
Based on the Online Dictionary of Computing [Computer_Dictionary]:
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Sleep : vi. 1. [techspeak] To relinquish a claim (of a process on a
multitasking system) for service; to indicate to the scheduler that a
process may be deactivated until some given event occurs or a specified
time delay elapses. 2. In jargon, used very similarly to v. block;
also in `sleep on', syn. with `block on'. Often used to indicate that
the speaker has relinquished a demand for resources until some (possibly
unspecified) external event: "They can't get the fix I've been asking
for into the next release, so I'm going to sleep on it until the
release, then start hassling them again."
Based on Jargon File : [Hackers_Dictionary]:
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Sleep : What is sleep?
Sleep is a natural body function during which we are relatively unconscious and the muscles that we normally control are relaxed. The result of sleep is a refreshment of the nervous system
(including the brain) and of the muscles.
Sleep plays a central role in everyone's life.
Statistics say that 95 percent of Americans have difficulty sleeping at some time in their lives.
As we age, our bodies normally require less sleep. Infants require from 12 to 14 hours while seniors may require from 6 to 8 hours. There is an interesting sex difference in duration of sleep. The
average male adult sleeps 8 hours while the average female sleeps 9 hours.
What causes sleep and how is it defined?
Sleep is initiated by specialized areas in the brain. Certain brain areas are also responsible for wakefulness.
There are various stages of sleep which are defined by body motions as well as by the character of the electrical activity in the brain. The typical patterns of electrical activity for the phases of
sleep vary with age.
Sleep walking (medically termed somnambulism) as well as { bedwetting occur usually during a particular phase of sleep during which the electrical activity slows down (slow wave sleep). These
behaviors occur most commonly during arousal from slow wave sleep.
Sleep walking episodes can last for several minutes during which the walker may move around with eyes open, avoiding obstacles, while not recalling any of the walk upon awakening!
What can we do when we are having difficulty sleeping?
When we have persistent difficulty in falling asleep, clock watching should be avoided. Sometimes very slow, deep breathing
can encourage drowsiness. It can be helpful to get out of bed and do a quiet activity that is relaxing. (This might be reading or writing, for examples.) Remaining in bed while you cannot sleep is
usually not helpful.
We can also promote a better sleep on our own by altering our diets, by changing our lifestyles, and with medications.
DIET
Persons with difficulty sleeping (insomnia) should avoid caffeine. Caffeine is in coffee and it is also a component of teas and cola drinks. Alcohol should also be avoided
because it can disturb the last phases of sleep. Many people have a drink before bedtime (a nightcap or the equivalent). To sleep better, they should not.
A light snack before bedtime sometimes can promote sleep. The reverse is also true, i.e., that hunger has the effect of making sleep difficult.
LIFESTYLE CHANGES
When we are having trouble sleeping at night we should not take naps during the day. On the contrary, it can be very beneficial to exercise regularly.
At bedtime, it can be helpful to slow down our activities. It is just before bedtime when we should "unwind" our thoughts. Relaxation techniques and a quiet environment can be helpful. Stressful
issues of the day should be replaced by soothing thoughts.
The appropriate time to go to bed varies from individual to individual. We should normally go to bed only when we are tired and try to get up at a regular time each morning. Regulating these events
helps to establish our biological rhythms.
MEDICATIONS
Most individuals with sleeping difficulty can achieve restful sleep using the techniques described above. Some persons require occasional medications for relief of
insomnia. Those with inability to fall asleep, daytime sleepiness, or inadequate sleep should contact their doctors. For additional information, please read the article Sleep Aids and Stimulants.
Based on University of Miami School of Medicine [Medical_Dictionary]:
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Sleep : Sleep : The body's rest cycle.
Sleep is triggered by a complex group of hormones that are active in the main, and that respond to cues from the body itself and the environment. About 80 percent of sleep is dreamless, and is known
as non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep.
During NREM sleep, the REM ) sleep, also known as Level 5 sleep.
muscle jerks.
Most adults need around eight hours of sleep on a regular schedule to function well, although some require less, and others more. (It has been said that men need an hour less sleep than women.)
Children, particularly teenagers, often need nine or ten hours for optimal functioning.
Based on University of Miami School of Medicine [Medical_Dictionary]:
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Example Usage of Sleep |
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luvgh62: @madShana Tired, want to go to Sleep but can't |
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Shiv_Shakti: good morning everyone.. Have had little Sleep, but the excitement is sooo high. So shall it stay. :) |
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henry_houdini: Sleep it off me thinks. |
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