Epworth sleepiness scale
How likely are you to doze off or fall asleep during the following situations,
in contrast to just feeling tired?
For each of the situations listed below, give yourself a score of 0 to 3, where
0 = Would never doze; 1 = Slight chance; 2 = Moderate chance; 3 = High chance.
Work out your total score by adding up your individual scores for situations 1 to 8. (If you have not been in the following situations recently, think about how you would have been affected.)
| Situation |
Score |
| Sitting and reading |
 |
| Watching television |
|
| Sitting inactive in a public place (e.g. a theatre/meeting) |
|
| As a passenger in a car for an hour with no break |
|
| Lying down in the afternoon (when possible) |
|
| Sitting and talking to someone |
|
| Sitting quietly after lunch without alcohol |
|
| In a car, while stopped for a few minutes in traffic |
|
| Total |
|
What your score means
- If your score is below 10 you have a healthy level of daytime sleepiness in comparison to the general population
- If your score is between 10 and 18 you have an excessive level of daytime sleepiness compared to the general population which may require further attention. You should consider whether you are obtaining adequate sleep, need to improve your sleep hygiene and consult your doctor for further medical help
- If your score is 18 or above you have a very high level of excessive daytime sleepiness and it is vital that you consult your doctor for further medical help
- (NB: The Epworth sleep test does not prove or disprove that you have a sleep related problem as many factors contribute to excessive sleepiness, and this is just an indication of whether further investigation is required. Please take notice of the results and consult your doctor if your score is high)
For a printable version of this table, plus a sleep diary, open and print this PDF