The psychology of sleep

As a prerequisite for the understanding of waking and sleeping some facts about the bio-psycho-social functioning of human experience and behavior are taken up. Like other functions sleep can only (approximately) be understood holistically from this point of view. Healthy sleep requires a switch from activation to relaxation. It is mainly this switch which is often disturbed in all forms of psychogenic sleep disorders. Anxiety and stress are the main causes. Any physiological, psychological, or social factor enhancing this trigger will improve sleep. Ultimately the expression "sleep the sleep of the just" holds good.