Moderate sleep deprivation produces impairments in cognitive and motor performance equivalent to legally prescribed levels of alcohol intoxication

Objectives-To compare the relative effects on performance of sleep deprivat ion and alcohol. Methods-Performance effects were studied in the same subjects over a period of 28 hours of sleep deprivation and after measured doses of alcohol up to about 0.1% blood alcohol concentration (BAC). There were 39 subjects, 30 e mployees from the transport industry and nine from the army. Results-After 17-19 hours without sleep, corresponding to 2230 and 0100, pe rformance on some tests was equivalent or worse than that at a BAC of 0.05% . Response speeds were up to 50% slower for some tests and accuracy measure s were significantly poorer than at this level of alcohol. After longer per iods without sleep, performance reached levels equivalent to the maximum al cohol dose given to subjects (BAC of 0.1%). Conclusions-These findings reinforce the evidence that the fatigue of sleep deprivation is an important factor Likely to compromise performance of spe ed and accuracy of the kind needed for safety on the road and in other indu strial settings.