[tedivm]

Light sedation is anesthesia.

> Anesthesia or anaesthesia is a state of controlled, temporary loss of sensation or awareness that is induced for medical or veterinary purposes. It may include some or all of analgesia, paralysis, amnesia, and unconsciousness.

"General anesthesia" is probably what you're thinking, which is a specific form of anesthesia where someone is put to sleep.

[tommilburn]

i was actually confused about this for a long time - i always thought my colonoscopies were "general" because i... couldn't remember anything, but all of them were really just propofol "twilight," which is just a deep sleep, i guess? i only learned this when i got a real surgery and had to actually go under general, it's a much more involved thing where you're essentially put in a coma