[Clinical aspects of sleep disorders]

An attempt is made at categorizing the sleep disorders according to various features. According to syndromes we distinguish hyposomnias, hypersomnias, dyssomnias, parasomnias, and the mixed hypo- and dyssomnias. With respect to phenomena the hyposomnias are subdivided into the disorders of falling asleep, sleeping through the night, early morning waking-up and sleep reversal. Thereafter an attempt is made at describing the sleep disorders according to their etiology: hyposomnias are subdivided into primary, essential or ideopathic type, secondary type in the context of organic and psychiatric disorders, reactive hyposomnias, and finally pharmacologically induced or iatrogenic sleep disorders. Among the hypersomnias the hypersomnia-sleep-apea-syndrome is given special attention while shedding light as far as necessary also on therapeutic approaches.