How likely are you to doze off or fall asleep in the following situations, in contrast to feeling just tired? This refers to your usual way of life in recent times. Even if you have not done some of these things recently try to work out how they would have affected you. Use the following scale to choose the most appropriate number for each situation.
The Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) is a simple, self-administered questionnaire which is shown to provide a measurement of the subject's general level of daytime sleepiness.
Possible answers:
| 0 = no chance of dozing |
| 1 = slight chance of dozing |
| 2 = moderate chance of dozing |
| 3 = high chance of dozing |
Add up the score at the end of the questionnaire
| SITUATION | CHANCE OF DOZING |
| Sitting and reading | ____________ |
| Watching TV | ____________ |
| Sitting inactive in a public place (e.g a theater 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 traffic | ____________ |
| 1 - 6 | Congratulations, you are getting enough sleep! |
| 7 - 8 | Your score is average |
| 9 and up | Seek the advice of a sleep specialist without delay |
Comments:
- ESS scores greater than 16, indicative of a high level of daytime sleepiness, were encountered only in patients with moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia. These disorders are known to be associated with excessive daytime sleepiness.
- The ESS does not distinguish the nature of long-term physiological or pathological processes that produce a particular level of sleep propensity. Other investigations, including overnight polysomnography, are required for that.
- Some healthy adults, without recognizable sleep disordters, remain sleepier than others during the day The sleep propensity of a subject on a particular day would be influenced by the quality and duration of prior sleep or of sleep deprivation, the time of day, the presence of various sleep disorders, drug effects, the level of interest and motivation induced by the situation at hand, as well as longer-term physiological differences.