Clinical Disturbances of Sleep

Abstract

Disturbances of sleep, including insomnia, hypersomnia, somnambulism and nightmares, are symptoms of an underlying disorder which must be determined and treated specifically. In many cases the cause of the disturbance is psychologic, and the pattern of the disturbance can often help to identify the cause.

Symptomatic treatment of the sleep disturbance is usually indicated, but only as an adjunct to management of the underlying problem.