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hyperarousal

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Etymology

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From hyper- +‎ arousal.

Noun

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hyperarousal (usually uncountable, plural hyperarousals)

  1. A state of heightened psychological and physiological tension resulting in reduced pain tolerance, anxiety, excessive response to sensory stimulation, insomnia, and fatigue.
    • 2010, Liz Royle, Catherine Kerr, Integrating EMDR Into Your Practice, page 35:
      Hyperarousal after a traumatic experience is normal. It occurs when a person's brain believes that person is at risk again because it misreads an external signal or trigger.
    • 2024 March 11, Madeline Holcombe, “What to do on the nights you are struggling with insomnia, according to experts”, in CNN[1]:
      A feeling of restlessness and an urge to move in your arms, legs or torso is a state of hyperarousal and can keep you from a good night’s sleep, she said.
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