Behavioral awakening as functions of duration and detectability of noise intrusions in the home

Probabilities of awakening associated with increasing levels of in-home exposure to four different sounds were estimated. Fourteen people exposed throughout the night for periods of several weeks to a computer-controlled series of noises pushed buttons under their pillows to register awakenings. To a first approximation, sounds of equivalent time-integrated detectability appeared to have equal probabilities of awakening people.