[Sleep and wakefulness drugs and their indications].

This paper is a review of the use of drugs in sleep and wakefulness disorders. Insomnia is more often a symptom than an autonomic disorder. Good knowledge of the clinical facts is required before prescribing hypnotics. Sedative drugs are potentially hypnotics; yet, melatonin is not sedative and may be considered to resynchronise of sleep phases. Stimulant drugs are prescribed in attention disorders; methylphenidate is the more frequently used. Narcolepsy, which is characterized by daytime sleepiness and irresistible episodes of sleep, is treated by an alpha1 noradrenergic stimulant modafinil which has no amphetaminic properties.