Try the Epworth Sleepiness Scale!

When is sleepy too sleepy? Is it OK to fall asleep after lunch? It can be hard to self-diagnose ourselves, and to know if our sleepiness is healthy. To get a better idea of how you are doing, try the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, a questionnaire designed to help understand your overall sleepiness.

For each scenario, select how likely you are to doze off or fall asleep. Keep in mind that the questions are geared towards actually falling asleep – not just feeling tired. If you haven’t experienced one scenario, try to imagine how you might respond.

When you’ve picked the best option for each and every one, add up your score.  (If you don’t answer each part, the results are not accurate.)

Epworth Sleepiness Scale

For each scenario, select how likely you are to doze off, on a scale of zero to three:

• Would never doze – 0
• Slight chance of dozing – 1
• Moderate chance of dozing – 2
• High chance of dozing – 3

• Sitting and reading     ___
• Watching TV     ___
• Sitting, inactive in a public place (e.g. a theatre or a meeting)     ___
• As a passenger in a car for an hour without a break     ___
• Lying down to rest in the afternoon when circumstances permit     ___
• Sitting and talking to someone     ___
• Sitting quietly after a lunch without alcohol     ___
• In a car, while stopped for a few minutes in the traffic     ___

Total:     ___

Well, how did you do? Typically, if someone ranks higher than a 10, they are advised to visit a medical professional for further testing. Nine and lower is considered normal.

Certain results can indicate some conditions – for example, a result between 11-15 can show mild to moderate sleep apnea. Above 16 could be severe sleep apnea or narcolepsy.

But remember, SlumberWise does not offer medical advice. No matter what your score, if you feel like you should see a doctor, go do it.

The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is copyright M.W. Johns, and is a reproduction of the 1997 scale found on the Epworth Scale homepage.