Eating and Sleep–Wake Disorders (Abnormal Psychology, Ch. 8)

Vocabulary flashcards covering major terms, disorders, mechanisms, and treatments from Chapter 8 on eating and sleep-wake disorders.

Anorexia Nervosa

An eating disorder marked by extreme calorie restriction leading to 15 %+ below expected weight, intense fear of weight gain, and distorted body image.

Bulimia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by recurrent binge-eating episodes followed by compensatory behaviors such as purging, fasting, or excessive exercise.

Binge-Eating Disorder

DSM-5 disorder involving recurrent binges without regular compensatory behaviors, accompanied by distress or impairment.

Binge Eating

Consuming an excessive amount of food in a discrete period while feeling a loss of control.

Compensatory Behaviors

Actions (e.g., vomiting, laxatives, fasting, excessive exercise) intended to counteract calories consumed during a binge.

Purging

The most common compensatory method; self-induced vomiting or misuse of diuretics/laxatives to eliminate food after a binge.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

A ratio of weight to height; a BMI of 30 or higher defines obesity in epidemiological studies.

Obesity

Excess body fat (BMI ≥ 30); not a DSM disorder but a health condition linked to eating patterns and mortality risk.

Night Eating Syndrome

Pattern in which ≥ ⅓ daily calories are consumed after dinner or during nocturnal awakenings, without bingeing.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Psychological treatment focusing on identifying and changing maladaptive thoughts and habits; first-line for bulimia and binge-eating disorder.

Interpersonal Psychotherapy

Time-limited therapy targeting interpersonal problems; as effective as CBT for binge-eating disorder.

Weight Restoration

Initial treatment goal in anorexia; bringing weight to a safe physiological level.

Bariatric Surgery

Surgical weight-loss procedure reserved for severe obesity after less intrusive treatments fail.

Self-Directed Weight-Loss Program

First-step obesity treatment in which individuals manage diet and exercise without formal supervision.

Behavior Modification Program

Structured intervention using behavioral principles (monitoring, reinforcement) to change eating and activity patterns.

Media Portrayals

Cultural images linking thinness to success and happiness; a sociocultural risk factor for eating disorders.

Dietary Restraint

Intentional restriction of food intake; can trigger binge episodes and maintain eating disorders.

Perfectionism

Personality trait of setting unrealistically high standards; linked to anorexia and bulimia development.

Mood Intolerance

Difficulty coping with negative emotions, often leading to bingeing or purging for relief.

Serotonin Deficit

Possible biological contributor to binge eating and impulsivity in eating disorders.

Dyssomnias

Group of sleep disorders involving problems with sleep amount, quality, or timing (e.g., insomnia, narcolepsy).

Parasomnias

Sleep disorders featuring abnormal events during sleep or on awakening (e.g., sleep terrors, nightmares).

Insomnia Disorder

Difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or early awakening, causing distress/impairment despite adequate opportunity.

Hypersomnolence Disorder

Excessive sleepiness despite ≥ 7 h sleep, with long sleep episodes or frequent naps, occurring ≥ 3 days/week for ≥ 3 months.

Narcolepsy

Dyssomnia with recurrent irresistible sleep attacks plus cataplexy, hypocretin deficiency, or rapid REM onset.

Cataplexy

Sudden bilateral loss of muscle tone while awake, often triggered by strong emotion, seen in narcolepsy.

Hypocretin

Neurotransmitter regulating arousal; deficiency is a biological marker for narcolepsy.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea

Breathing-related sleep disorder where airflow stops despite respiratory effort, producing snoring and daytime fatigue.

Central Sleep Apnea

Sleep disorder marked by repeated episodes where the respiratory system briefly stops functioning entirely.

Sleep-Related Hypoventilation

Reduced breathing during sleep with elevated CO₂ levels not explained by other sleep disorders.

Circadian Rhythm Sleep–Wake Disorder

Sleep disturbance due to misalignment between internal clock and environmental or social schedule (e.g., shift work).

Suprachiasmatic Nucleus

Brain’s master biological clock in the hypothalamus that regulates circadian rhythms via melatonin signals.

Phase Delay

Treatment technique for circadian disorders that moves bedtime later to realign rhythms; generally easier than phase advance.

Phase Advance

Therapeutic method shifting bedtime earlier; used for some circadian rhythm disorders but harder to maintain.

Bright Light Therapy

Exposure to intense light to reset circadian rhythms, often used with phase shifting strategies.

Polysomnographic (PSG) Evaluation

Comprehensive sleep study recording EEG, EOG, EMG, and other measures to diagnose sleep disorders.

Actigraph

Wearable device that tracks movement to estimate sleep-wake patterns outside the lab.

CBT-I

Cognitive-behavioral therapy specifically for insomnia; includes sleep education, diary, stimulus control, and restructuring beliefs.

Stimulus Control

Behavioral technique training individuals to associate the bed with sleep only, improving insomnia.

Sleep Hygiene

Healthy habits (regular schedule, limiting caffeine, screen use) that promote quality sleep.

Sleep Terrors

Episodes of intense fear and autonomic arousal during non-REM sleep; individual is difficult to awaken and amnesic for event.

Sleepwalking (Somnambulism)

Non-REM parasomnia where a person leaves bed and performs activities while largely unresponsive and amnesic.

Nightmare Disorder

Repeated dysphoric REM dreams causing awakening and distress, more common in children than adults.

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

Parasomnia featuring vocalization or complex movements during REM due to loss of normal muscle atonia, risking injury.

Non-REM Sleep Arousal Disorder

DSM-5 category including sleep terrors and sleepwalking—events occur in first third of sleep with no recall.

Scheduled Awakenings

Preventive technique for sleep terrors where the sleeper is gently awakened before usual terror time.

Benzodiazepines

Sedative drugs used short-term for insomnia or severe sleep terrors; risk rebound insomnia and dependence.

Stimulants

Medications like methylphenidate used to treat daytime sleepiness in hypersomnolence and narcolepsy.

Antidepressants (for Cataplexy)

Drugs that reduce frequency/intensity of cataplexy episodes in narcolepsy by suppressing REM sleep.

Maladaptive Sleep Reactions

Behaviors such as napping or irregular schedules that develop after sleep stress and perpetuate insomnia.