A look toward the future

There will be many changes in the sleep field in the next 5 to 10 years. Th ese will include increments in our knowledge of basic neurobiologic mechani sms driving sleep and the impact of sleep loss on general health. The techn ology used in the sleep laboratory likely change as well, leading to a larg er range of available tests and new ways to conduct standard ones. Finally, as the knowledge base in sleep increases, the expertise required to practi ce sleep medicine will rise, leading to a better trained, more focused prac titioner.