Wellness Terms Made Plain

Health writing has a habit of slipping into jargon. We try to explain terms as we go, but some words come up again and again across the journal. Here they are in one place, each with a short, everyday meaning. These are general descriptions to help you follow an article, not medical definitions.

Sleep

Core body temperature

The temperature deep inside the body, which drifts a little lower in the evening as part of preparing for sleep. Our answer on bedroom temperature explains why that matters.

Wind-down

The quieter stretch before bed when you set aside screens and busy tasks so the mind can settle.

Night sweats

Heavy sweating during sleep that can soak bedclothes. Often linked to a warm room or hormonal changes, but worth mentioning to a GP if it keeps happening.

Movement

Delayed muscle soreness

The ache and stiffness that often appear a day or two after unfamiliar exercise, then fade over a few days.

Rest day

A day with no hard training, which may still include gentle walking or stretching.

Warm-up

A few minutes of easy movement that gradually raise your heart rate and loosen muscles before more effort.

Food

Fibre

The part of plant foods the body does not fully digest, found in wholegrains, beans, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds.

Blanching

Briefly heating vegetables in water or steam before freezing to help keep their colour and texture.

Wholegrain

A grain that still has all its parts, including the outer layer, such as brown rice, oats or wholewheat flour.

Teeth and gums

Plaque

A sticky, mostly invisible film of bacteria that builds up on teeth and needs brushing and cleaning between teeth to remove.

Enamel

The hard outer layer of a tooth. Acidic food and drink can soften it for a while.

Fluoride

A mineral added to most toothpastes that helps protect enamel against decay.

Gum recession

When gums pull back from the teeth, exposing more of the tooth and sometimes causing sensitivity.

Health care

GP

A general practitioner, the family doctor who is usually the first stop for non-urgent health concerns.

Pharmacist

A medicines expert who can advise on minor ailments and on how remedies fit with other medicines you take.

Hot flush

A sudden wave of heat, often with flushing and sweating, common around menopause.

Missing a word? Send it over via the contact page and it may join the list. For a guided route through the articles these terms come from, see Start Your Reading Here.