A meta-analysis of the impact of short-term sleep deprivation (SD) on cognitive variables was conducted, analyzing 70 studies with 147 cognitive tests. The results showed that SD significantly impaired cognitive performance across various domains, with the most pronounced effects on simple attention and vigilance tasks. Effect sizes ranged from small to large, with the largest effects observed in simple attention tasks (lapses: $ \bar{g} = -0.776 $, 95% CI [-0.96, -0.60], p < .001). Accuracy measures were more affected than speed measures in most domains, though no differences were found within each domain. Time awake was the only significant predictor of between-study variability, primarily for accuracy measures. The study highlights the importance of considering the relative magnitude of effects across cognitive domains and suggests that heterogeneity in test characteristics may account for much of the remaining variability. Theoretical implications include the controlled attention hypothesis, the neuropsychological hypothesis, and the vigilance hypothesis, which offer different perspectives on the effects of SD on cognition. The findings suggest that SD has a significant impact on cognitive performance, particularly on tasks requiring sustained attention, and that these effects may be more pronounced in certain domains. The study also notes that while some cognitive domains, such as reasoning and crystallized intelligence, were less affected by SD, others, such as working memory and complex attention, showed moderate effects. The results emphasize the need for further research to understand the mechanisms underlying these effects and to develop interventions to mitigate the negative consequences of SD on cognitive performance. The analysis also highlights the importance of considering study quality and the potential for publication bias in interpreting the results. Overall, the study provides a comprehensive overview of the effects of short-term SD on cognitive performance and underscores the need for further research to better understand and address the impact of sleep deprivation on cognition.A meta-analysis of the impact of short-term sleep deprivation (SD) on cognitive variables was conducted, analyzing 70 studies with 147 cognitive tests. The results showed that SD significantly impaired cognitive performance across various domains, with the most pronounced effects on simple attention and vigilance tasks. Effect sizes ranged from small to large, with the largest effects observed in simple attention tasks (lapses: $ \bar{g} = -0.776 $, 95% CI [-0.96, -0.60], p < .001). Accuracy measures were more affected than speed measures in most domains, though no differences were found within each domain. Time awake was the only significant predictor of between-study variability, primarily for accuracy measures. The study highlights the importance of considering the relative magnitude of effects across cognitive domains and suggests that heterogeneity in test characteristics may account for much of the remaining variability. Theoretical implications include the controlled attention hypothesis, the neuropsychological hypothesis, and the vigilance hypothesis, which offer different perspectives on the effects of SD on cognition. The findings suggest that SD has a significant impact on cognitive performance, particularly on tasks requiring sustained attention, and that these effects may be more pronounced in certain domains. The study also notes that while some cognitive domains, such as reasoning and crystallized intelligence, were less affected by SD, others, such as working memory and complex attention, showed moderate effects. The results emphasize the need for further research to understand the mechanisms underlying these effects and to develop interventions to mitigate the negative consequences of SD on cognitive performance. The analysis also highlights the importance of considering study quality and the potential for publication bias in interpreting the results. Overall, the study provides a comprehensive overview of the effects of short-term SD on cognitive performance and underscores the need for further research to better understand and address the impact of sleep deprivation on cognition.