paradoxical sleep

noun

Physiology.

1. REM sleep.

paradoxical sleep

noun

1. physiol sleep that appears to be deep but that is characterized by a brain wave pattern similar to that of wakefulness, rapid eye movements, and heavier breathing

Word History and Origins

Origin of paradoxical sleep¹

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

When REM sleep was first discovered, psychologists called it “paradoxical sleep,” as the brain’s electrical activity during REM sleep looks more like the waking brain than it does like the brain during other sleep stages.

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“How can we wake a cat during paradoxical sleep and ask it questions?”

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He called the REM state “paradoxical sleep,” since the brain is active even though the body is virtually still.

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