Do I Have a Sleep Disorder
Below is the ESS, get a pen and paper and write out your score for each of the questions below. Then add your total score up out of 24.
0 – No chance of falling asleep
1 – Slight chance of falling asleep
2 – Moderate chance of falling asleep
3 – High chance of falling asleep
Q. Sitting & Reading 1 2 3 4
Q. Sitting & Reading
1 2 3 4
Q. Watching TV 1 2 3 4
Q. Watching TV
1 2 3 4
Q. Sitting inactive in a public place 1 2 3 4
Q. Sitting inactive in a public place
1 2 3 4
Q. As a passenger in a car for an hour without a break 1 2 3 4
Q. As a passenger in a car for an hour without a break
1 2 3 4
Q. Lying down in the afternoon when circumstances permit 1 2 3 4
Q. Lying down in the afternoon when circumstances permit
1 2 3 4
Q. Sitting and talking to someone 1 2 3 4
Q. Sitting and talking to someone
1 2 3 4
Q. Sitting quietly after lunch without alcohol 1 2 3 4
Q. Sitting quietly after lunch without alcohol
1 2 3 4
Q. In a car while stopped in traffic for a few minutes 1 2 3 4
Q. In a car while stopped in traffic for a few minutes
1 2 3 4
If your total score was more than 5, you have mild sleepiness and may not be getting the proper sleep you need.
If your score is 10 or more you should talk to your doctor about how to improve your daytime energy levels and alertness.
Take your score to your doctor and talk about whether you might require a diagnostic sleep study.
THE EPWORTH SLEEPINESS SCALE
The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is a way of finding out how sleepy someone is during the day, and was first devised by Dr Murray Johns in Australia and published in 1991.
It is now used internationally by sleep clinics, research groups and sleep physicians.