The Contribution of the Psychology of Sleep and Dreaming to Understanding Sleep-Disordered Patients

This article reviews the major psychologic functions occurring during sleep and the evidence that patients who present with disorders of sleep have specific psychologic dysfunctions related to the type and degree of their sleep disturbance. The study of sleep disorders provides insights into this regular nocturnal updating of the self program, and of the specific psychologic effects of interrupted sleep or abnormalities in the timing of the cycles. The application of these findings to understanding and treating these patients is discussed.