Abbreviations of Sleep Terms

Jump to letter:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M
N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z


AB – Automatic Behavior

AD – Alzheimer’s Disease

ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act

ADD – Attention Deficit Disorder

ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

AERMS – ambulatory electrocardiogram-respiration monitoring system

AHI – Apnea/Hypopnea Index

AI – Apnea Index

APAP (Auto-CPAP) – auto-titrating, self-adjusting device


BDZ – Benzodiazepine

Bi-PAP (BPAP) – Trademark name of a Bi-Level cpap machine.

BMI – Body Mass Index

BPM – Beats per minute


C – Cataplexy

CDC – Center for Disease Control

CFIDS – Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome

CFS – Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

CHF – Congestive Heart Failure

CNS – Central nervous system

CPAP – Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (a nasal device to relieve obstructed breathing in a sleeping patient)

cps – cycles per second

CSR – Cheyne-Stokes respiration


DIMS – Disorders of Initiating and Maintaining Sleep

DME – Durable Medical Equipment

DOES – Disorders of Excessive Somnolence

DSPS – Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome

Dx – Diagnosis


EDS – Excessive Daytime Sleepiness

EEG – Electroencephalogram

EH – Essential Hypersomnia

EKG – Electrocardiogram

EMG – Electromyogram

ENT – Ear, nose, and throat

EOG – Electro-oculogram

EPAP – Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure

ENT – Ear, Nose, and Throat


GABA – Gamma-Amniobutyric Acid

GERD – Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

GHB – Gammahydroxybutyrate (a substance occurring naturally in the brain. To be sold as Xyrem)


HH – Hypnogogic Hallucinations

HLA – Human Leukocyte Antigen

Hz – Hertz (frequency)

Hx – Medical History


IH – Idiopathic Hypersomnia

IPAP – Inspiratory Positive Airway Pressure

IRM – Institute of Respiratory Medicine

ITS – I’m Tired Syndrome


LAUP – Laser assisted uvulopalatoplasty

LMN – Letter of Medical Necessity

LTD – Long Term Disability

LO – Lights Out (beginning of sleep recording)


MAO – Monoamine Oxidase (an enzyme in the brain tissue)

MAOI – Monoamine Oxidase inhibitor (a class of anti-depressant.MHC)

MIRS – mandibular inclined repositioning splint

MRI – Magnetic Resonance Imagery

MHC – Major Histocompatibility Complex

MMOA (MMA) – Mandibular Maxillary Osteotomy and Advancement

MSLT – Multiple Sleep Latency Test

MWT – maintenance of wakefulness test


N – Narcolepsy

NCSDR – National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research

NN – Narcolepsy Network

NMH – Neurally Mediated Hypotension

NPT – Nocturnal Penile Tumescence

NREM – Non-Rapid Eye Movement (sleep)

NS-RED – Nonturnal sleep related eating disorder


OCD – Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

ODI – Oxygen desaturation index

OLP – Online Psych

O2 – Oxygen

OSA – Obstructive sleep apnea

OSAS – Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome


PCP – Primary Care Physician

PET – Positron Emission Tomography

PLMD – Periodic Leg Movement Disorder

PLMS – Periodic Leg Movements of Sleep

PND – Paroxsymal Nocturnal Dyspnea

PO2 – partial pressure of oxygen (O2) in the blood.

PSG – Polysomnogram

PTSD – post traumatic stress disorder

PWC – Persons w/CFIDS

PWN – Person (People) with Narcolepsy

PWON – Person (People) without Narcolepsy

POPWN – Parent of a person w/ Narcolepsy

PS – Paradoxical Sleep


QS – Quiet Sleep


RERA – Respiratory effort-related arousal

RBD – REM Behavior Disorder

RCP – Respiratory Care Practitioner

RDI – Respiratory Disturbance Index

REM – Rapid Eye Movement (sleep)

REML – REM latency

RF – Radiofrequency

RLS – Restless Leg Syndrome

R/O – Rule out

RSD – Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy

Rx – Prescription


SA – Sleep apnea

SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder

SaO2 – % of normal oxygen level in the blood.

SAS – Sleep Apnea Syndrome

SAHS – Sleep apnea/hypopnoea syndrome

SDB – Sleep disordered breathing

SEGS – Number of REM Segments

SEI – Sleep efficiency index

SEM – Slow Eye Movement

SIDS – Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

SL – Sleep latency

SO – Sleep onset

SOREM – Sleep onset REM

SOPWN – Spouse of a PWN

SP – Sleep Paralysis

SPT – Sleep Period Time

Squib – Use of sensitive, superconductor, Josephson junction detectors to map brain activity

SRBD – Sleep-related breathing disorder

SRRD – Sleep-related respiratory disturbance

SSDB – Social Security Disability Benefits

SSI – Supplemental Security Income

SSRI – Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (the family of anti-depressants that include Prozac, Zoloft and Wellbutrin among others).

SSS – Stanford Sleepiness Scale

STD – Short Term Disability *OR* Sexually Transmitted Disease

SWL – Slow wave latency

SWS – Slow wave sleep

SWDS – Sleep-wake schedule disorder

Sz – Schizophrenia

S1-S4 – Sleep Stages 1-4


T&A – Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy

TB – Body Temperature

TCA – Tricyclic antidepressant

TIB – Time in Bed

TLC – Total Lung Capacity

TMT – Total Movement Time

Trec – Rectal temperature

TRD – Tongue retaining device

TRT – Total recording time

TREM – Total REM Time

TST – Total Sleep Time

TSW – Total Slow Wave Sleep (Stage 3 and 4)

TT – Total Time

TWT – Total Wake Time

Tx – Treatment


UARS – Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome

UPPP – Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty


VPAP – Variable positive airway pressure


WAFA – Wake time after final awakening

WASO – Wake time after sleep onset


XPAP – Any type of positive airway pressure device