Sleep vs. Coma — What's the Difference?

A state of rest for the body and mind, during which consciousness is altered and sensory activity is reduced.

A prolonged state of deep unconsciousness, typically caused by disease or injury.

A natural, periodic suspension of consciousness during which the powers of the body are restored.

An extended period of unconsciousness from which it is difficult or impossible to awaken.

A condition of body and mind such as that which typically recurs for several hours every night.

A state of profound unconsciousness associated with ill health.

A state resembling or characterized by sleep, such as inactivity or inertia.

A condition marked by the absence of wakefulness and the inability to react to external stimuli.

The act of sleeping, especially when regular and extending for some time.

A medical condition where a person is unresponsive to their environment.

Sleep is a naturally recurring state of mind and body, characterized by altered consciousness, relatively inhibited sensory activity, reduced muscle activity and inhibition of nearly all voluntary muscles during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and reduced interactions with surroundings. It is distinguished from wakefulness by a decreased ability to react to stimuli, but more reactive than a coma or disorders of consciousness, with sleep displaying different, active brain patterns.

A coma is a deep state of prolonged unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light, or sound, lacks a normal wake-sleep cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. Coma patients exhibit a complete absence of wakefulness and are unable to consciously feel, speak or move.

A natural periodic state of rest for the mind and body, in which the eyes usually close and consciousness is completely or partially lost, so that there is a decrease in bodily movement and responsiveness to external stimuli. During sleep the brain in humans and other mammals undergoes a characteristic cycle of brain-wave activity that includes intervals of dreaming.

A state of deep, often prolonged unconsciousness, usually the result of injury, disease, or poison, in which an individual is incapable of sensing or responding to external stimuli and internal needs.

A period of this form of rest.

(Astronomy) The nebulous luminescent cloud surrounding the nucleus of a comet and composed of material evaporated from the nucleus when the comet is near the perihelion of its orbit. The nucleus and coma together form the head of a comet.

A state in which a computer shuts off or reduces power to its peripherals (such as the display or memory) in order to save energy during periods of inactivity.

(Botany) A usually terminal tuft or cluster, especially a tuft of hairs on a seed, as on a willow or milkweed seed.

(Botany) The folding together of leaflets or petals at night or in the absence of light.

(Physics) A diffuse, comet-shaped image of a point source of light or radiation caused by aberration in an optical system.

A crust of dried tears or mucus normally forming around the inner rim of the eye during sleep.

A state of unconsciousness from which one may not wake up, usually induced by some form of trauma.

To be in the state of sleep or to fall asleep.

(astronomy) A cloud of dust surrounding the nucleus of a comet.

To be in a condition resembling sleep.

(optics) A defect characterized by diffuse, pear-shaped images that in an ideal image would appear as points.

To pass or get rid of by sleeping

(botany) A tuft or bunch, such as the assemblage of branches forming the head of a tree, a cluster of bracts when empty and terminating the inflorescence of a plant, or a tuft of long hairs on certain seeds.

To provide sleeping accommodations for

A state of profound insensibility from which it is difficult or impossible to rouse a person. See Carus.

(intransitive) To rest in a state of reduced consciousness.

The envelope of a comet; a nebulous covering, which surrounds the nucleus or body of a comet.

(transitive) To be slumbering in (a state).

A tuft or bunch, - as the assemblage of branches forming the head of a tree; or a cluster of bracts when empty and terminating the inflorescence of a plant; or a tuft of long hairs on certain seeds.

To achieve or make happen by manner of sleep.

A state of deep and often prolonged unconsciousness; usually the result of disease or injury

(transitive) To accommodate in beds.

A usually terminal tuft of hairs especially on a seed

(intransitive) To be careless, inattentive, or unconcerned; not to be vigilant; to live thoughtlessly.

(astronomy) the luminous cloud of particles surrounding the frozen nucleus of a comet; forms as the comet approaches the sun and is warmed

(intransitive) To be dead; to lie in the grave.

(intransitive) To be, or appear to be, in repose; to be quiet; to be unemployed, unused, or unagitated; to rest; to lie dormant.

To wait for a period of time without performing any action.

To place into a state of hibernation.

To spin on its axis with no other perceptible motion.

To cause (a spinning top or yo-yo) to spin on its axis with no other perceptible motion.

(uncountable) The state of reduced consciousness during which a human or animal rests in a daily rhythm.

An act or instance of sleeping.

A night.

(uncountable) Rheum, crusty or gummy discharge found in the corner of the eyes after waking, whether real or a figurative objectification of sleep (in the sense of reduced consciousness).

A state of plants, usually at night, when their leaflets approach each other and the flowers close and droop, or are covered by the folded leaves.

The hibernation of animals.

To take rest by a suspension of the voluntary exercise of the powers of the body and mind, and an apathy of the organs of sense; to slumber.

To be careless, inattentive, or uncouncerned; not to be vigilant; to live thoughtlessly.

To be dead; to lie in the grave.

To be, or appear to be, in repose; to be quiet; to be unemployed, unused, or unagitated; to rest; to lie dormant; as, a question sleeps for the present; the law sleeps.

To be slumbering in; - followed by a cognate object; as, to sleep a dreamless sleep.

To give sleep to; to furnish with accomodations for sleeping; to lodge.

A natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended;

A torpid state resembling sleep

A period of time spent sleeping;

Be asleep

Be able to accommodate for sleeping;

It's uncertain; some studies suggest minimal perception, but typically, comatose patients do not consciously process sounds.

Common causes include severe head injuries, brain inflammation, strokes, and drug overdoses.

Yes, insufficient sleep is linked to various health issues, including obesity, heart disease, and impaired cognitive function.

Sleep is a natural, daily, restorative state, while coma is an extended, often medically serious state of unconsciousness.

A coma can last for a few days to several years, depending on the cause and severity.

Yes, sleep plays a critical role in brain function, including memory consolidation and clearing metabolic waste.

Sleep involves periodic waking and responsiveness to external stimuli; coma involves sustained unresponsiveness.

Through neurological exams that assess responsiveness and brain activity.

Treatments focus on the underlying cause and may include medications, surgery, and life support.

Sleep supports various functions, including immune system efficiency and cellular repair.

REM sleep is a stage of sleep characterized by rapid eye movement and dreaming, crucial for emotional regulation and memory.

It's a scale used to assess the severity of unconsciousness in comatose patients.

Yes, recovery is possible, but the extent varies and sometimes may involve significant long-term impairment.

No, a medically induced coma is a temporary, controlled state to protect the brain during certain treatments.

Nutritional and physiological needs are typically managed medically with intravenous fluids and other support systems.