Patterns of performance degradation and restoration during sleep restriction and subsequent recovery: a sleep dose‐response study

SUMMARY Daytime performance changes were examined during chronic sleep restriction or augmentation and following subsequent recovery sleep. Sixty‐six normal volunteers spent either 3 ( n = 18), 5 ( n = 16), 7 ( n = 16), or 9 h ( n = 16) daily time in bed (TIB) for 7 days (restriction/augmentation) followed by 3 days with 8 h daily TIB (recovery). In the 3‐h group, speed (mean and fastest 10% of responses) on the psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) declined, and PVT lapses (reaction times greater than 500 ms) increased steadily across the 7 days of sleep restriction. In the 7‐ and 5‐h groups speed initially declined, then appeared to stabilize at a reduced level; lapses were increased only in the 5‐h group. In the…