Degia, A., Emegbo, S., Stanley, N., Pedlar, C., & Whyte, G. (2003). Effect of acute normobaric hypoxia on cognitive and psychomotor function in recreational athletes. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 35(5), Supplement abstract 893.

High altitudes do affect physical work, subjective fatigue, and task performances. This study evaluated whether sleeping in a normobaric hypoxic tent at a simulated altitude of 2,500 m affected cognitive and psychomotor performance. Male recreational athletes (N = 8) were exposed to normobaric hypoxia (2,500 m), normobaric normoxic (placebo), and normal air conditions in a randomized order for three consecutive nights. Measures were obtained on the Critical Flicker Fusion Threshold, Hick's Choice Reaction Time, Compensatory Tracking Task, and Sternburg's Short Term Memory scanning task.

No significant differences were revealed for the two conditions involving the hypoxic tent.

Implication. Hypoxic tent sleeping does not affect psychomotor or cognitive performance.

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