Objective : To investigate the effects of one night of sleep deprivation on adults ’cognitive performance and sleepiness. Methods : The study employed a repeated⁃measures design. Participants performed cognitive performance tasks , which included the Continuous Performance Test and Digit Span Test and Karolinska Sleepiness Scale. The data were analyzed using one⁃way repeated⁃measures ANOVA. Results : 48 participants were included in this study. Sleep deprivation during night shift had a adversely affect on sustained attention performance and alertness (P < 0. 05) . Compared with the beginning of night shift work , the correct number decreased , the number of errors , missed number and reaction time increased , and the score of Karolinska sleepiness scale decreased after the night shift work. The sleep deprivation has no significant effect on working memory performance (P > 0. 05) . Conclusion One night of sleep deprivation has significant deleterious effects on cognitive performance and subjec⁃ tive sleepiness. However, no effect on the working memory performances has been found.