On average people spend one third of their life sleeping. An understanding of the physiology and pathophysiological changes that take place during this time is, therefore, essential to the medical care of patients. Sleep disorders can arise from a variety of causes including respiratory, psychiatric and neurological conditions, as well as pain and lifestyle changes. Consequently, they present to a wide range of clinicians who require an overview of their diagnosis and treatment. Written by one of the UK's leading authorities on sleep Medicine, Handbook of Sleep Medicine presents a practical guide to the clinical problems related to sleep disorders. An experienced author, John Shneerson writes concisely and presents the information in a most accessible way. The text is clearly organised and full use has been made of tables and line diagrams. Whilst the body of the text is clinical in approach, the scientific basis of sleep and sleep medicine and the technical aspects of sleep investigations are explained fully. The book is divided into three sections. The first group of chapters considers the fundamentals of sleep, the effects of drugs on sleep and how to assess sleep complaints. The main body of the book consists of chapters on individual sleep disorders. Each of these has a structured approach, outlining both assessment and treatment. Insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, awareness during sleep and behavioural abnormalities are covered. The final chapters deal with the important respiratory consequences of upper airway dysfunction, changes in the control of breathing during sleep and the social implications of sleep problems. Sleep medicine is a fast developing discipline which interfaces with many of the medical specialties. Handbook of Sleep Medicine enables doctors and other health professionals to access recent advances ensuring that their patients receive the optimum treatment for their sleep disorders.