Sleep disturbances and related psychopathologies

Clinical and neurophysiopathological correlates of sleep disorders/disturbances often precede and predispose to psychiatric disorders or psychological distress. Sleep disturbances can constitute, for each psychiatric disorder, a genuine worsening factor and a motor for illness. For this reason, it is useful to consider clinical intervention aimed at restoring normal sleep as a preventive intervention, both on sleep alterations as well as on mental disorders and psychological distress. The mutual relationships between the patient's personal aspects, sleep habits, and manifested sleep disturbances require further clarification. This chapter will analyze the prominent clinical impact of sleep disturbances and circadian rhythm alterations in major psychiatric disorders.