Sleep medicine has rapidly developed as a new subspecialty. Patients with sleep disorders are frequently among the most difficult to treat, and recent evidence indicates that sleep apnea can be a major underlying factor of cardiovascular disease. This handbook covers the whole area of sleep, from the history of sleep medicine to the pathophysiology of sleep disorders, effective treatment and long-term management of the problem. The Sleep Disorders Handbook has been written for those working in specialist clinics as well as GPs, internists and non-specialists. Enhanced by an entertaining selection of literary quotations on the subject, this text provides much needed support in this new area.