¶ Glossary (Plain Language)

Name: Lifestyle & Wellness Glossary
Creator: Administrator
Published: 2026-02-04T17:50:16.639Z

¶ Sleep

Term	Plain-language definition
Sleep efficiency	The percent of time in bed you’re actually asleep (higher is generally better).
Sleep latency	How long it takes you to fall asleep after lights out.
Circadian rhythm	Your internal “clock” that times sleepiness/alertness, hormones, and temperature over 24 hours.
Chronotype	Whether you’re naturally more of a morning or evening person.

Term	Plain-language definition
VO₂max	A measure of aerobic fitness: how much oxygen you can use at maximal effort. Higher is generally better.
Zone 2	Easy-to-moderate aerobic effort where you can talk in full sentences; used to build endurance base.
RPE	Rate of Perceived Exertion: a simple “how hard was that?” scale (often 1–10).
Progressive overload	Gradually increasing training difficulty so your body has a reason to adapt.

Term	Plain-language definition
Insulin sensitivity	How effectively your body responds to insulin; higher sensitivity usually means better blood sugar control.
Ultra‑processed foods (UPF)	Industrial formulations often high in added sugar/salt/refined starches/fats and designed for hyper‑palatability.
Time‑restricted eating (TRE)	Eating within a daily window (e.g., 8–12 hours) and fasting the rest.

Term	Plain-language definition
HRV	Heart rate variability: beat-to-beat variation that can reflect autonomic balance and recovery (context dependent).
Downshift	A deliberate short practice that reduces physiological arousal (breathing, walk, relaxation).

Term	Plain-language definition
Social isolation	Low objective social contact/network size (what your calendar looks like).
Loneliness	Subjective feeling of disconnection (how it feels).