People with osteoarthritis often have joint pain and reduced motion. Unlike some other forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis affects only joints and not internal organs. Rheumatoid arthritis-the second most common form of arthritis-affects other parts of the body besides the joints.eople with osteoarthritis often have joint pain and reduced motion. Unlike some other forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis affects only joints and not internal organs. Rheumatoid arthritis-the second most common form of arthritis-affects other parts of the body besides the joints.
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Legal, Financial, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia. Related to sleep fragmentation: polysomnography, polysomnogram. Arousals and awakenings that disrupt the normal stages and architecture of sleep. These events, which occur commonly in patients who have sleep apnea or chronic pain, contribute to daytime sleepiness and other health problems. Synonym: sleep interruption.
Sleep is associated with a state of muscle relaxation and reduced perception of environmental stimuli. Sleep is a naturally recurring state of mind and body, characterized by altered consciousness, relatively inhibited sensory activity, inhibition of nearly all voluntary muscles, and reduced interactions with surroundings. It is distinguished from wakefulness by a decreased ability to react to stimuli, but is more easily reversed than the state of being comatose. Sleep occurs in repeating periods, in which the body alternates between two distinct modes known as non-REM and REM sleep. Although REM stands for rapid eye movement, this mode of sleep has many other aspects, including virtual paralysis of the body.