PsychologyAugust 30, 2026

actigraphy

ak-ti-GRA-fee

Definition

The practice or method of monitoring a person's physical activity and rest cycles over a period of time, typically using a wearable device.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'actus' (a doing or act) combined with the Greek suffix '-graphia' (writing or recording), used in science to denote a device that records activity.

In the news

The article cites an actigraphy study to show that while objective movement data recorded dogs disturbing their owners' sleep, the owners themselves often failed to notice or recall these disruptions.

Psychology says people who sleep in the same bed as their pets aren't necessarily anxious or over-attached — pets can become genuine attachment figures, and their physical presence can give the brain the same basic sense of safety it seeks from the peopl

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