Select the option that can be used as a one-word solution for the given phrase: A person who is unable to sleep.

Appeared in: DSSSB 6 September 2024

Explanation

An 'insomniac' is a person who habitually finds it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.
The term is derived from 'insomnia,' which is a sleep disorder defined as the sensation of not sleeping well or enough, despite adequate opportunity (SRC_10729).
This word directly and precisely describes the person mentioned in the phrase, making it the correct one-word substitution.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option A: A 'chauvinist' is a person with an aggressive or prejudiced belief in the superiority of their own group, gender, or cause. This term relates to ideology and social attitudes, not a sleep condition.
Option B: 'Inarticulate' describes someone who cannot express their thoughts or feelings clearly. This relates to communication ability, not sleep patterns.
Option D: 'Obscure' is an adjective meaning unclear, not well-known, or hard to understand. It is used to describe concepts, places, or things, not a person's medical condition.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain One-word substitution as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
While this is a vocabulary question, 'insomnia' is a significant clinical issue. Nurses frequently assess patients' sleep patterns, as poor sleep can negatively affect recovery, mood, and overall health.
A key nursing role is to identify potential causes of insomnia (e.g., pain, anxiety, environment) and implement non-pharmacological interventions like promoting sleep hygiene.
What if? If the phrase was 'A person who sleeps excessively,' the correct term would be 'hypersomniac,' derived from hypersomnia, which is also a recognized sleep disorder.

How to Approach the Question

First, analyze the given phrase 'A person who is unable to sleep' to understand its core meaning.
Identify the key concept: a person defined by a specific, chronic condition (sleeplessness).
Review each option and recall its definition.
Evaluate which option's definition best matches the phrase. 'Insomniac' is a direct match for someone who cannot sleep.
Eliminate the other options by confirming their meanings are unrelated to sleep (e.g., chauvinism relates to prejudice, inarticulate to speech, and obscure to clarity).

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: One-word substitution
Stem keywords: person, unable to sleep
Lead-in keywords: one-word solution

Question ID

Q21dpbEVJ55F0prWvT5vH-

Reference Book

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 3873-3875

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 1555-1557

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