General anesthesia and natural sleep share similarities in terms of physiological states, primarily involving reversible loss of consciousness. Basic researches have confirmed that both induction and recovery of general anesthesia are partially dependent on the sleep‑wake cycle. But unlike sleep, general anesthesia may extensively suppress cortical activity. This article categories the changes in anesthetic potency of sevoflurane and propofol by primary sleep disorders, such as physiological sleep loss, insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea syndrome, rhythmic sleep disorders, and sleepwalking. The mechanisms of sleep disorders are complex and not consistent across different types of sleep disorders. Based on the possible pathophysiological mechanisms, we briefly analyze the possible reasons for how each type of sleep disorder impact sensitivity to general anesthetic agents.