Epworth Sleepiness Scale Questionnaire

Guidelines for conducting the Epworth Sleepiness Scale

The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is a scale intended to measure daytime sleepiness that is measured by use of a very short questionnaire. This can be helpful in diagnosing sleep disorders. It was introduced in 1991 by Dr Murray Johns of Epworth Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.

The questionnaire asks the subject to rate his or her probability of falling asleep on a scale of increasing probability from 0 to 3 for eight different situations that most people engage in during their daily lives, though not necessarily every day. The scores for the eight questions are added together to obtain a single number. A number in the 0–9 range is considered to be normal while a number in the 10–24 range indicates that expert medical advice should be sought. For instance, scores of 11-15 are shown to indicate the possibility of mild to moderate sleep apnea, where a score of 16 and above indicates the possibility of severe sleep apnea or narcolepsy. Certain questions in the scale were shown to be better predictors of specific sleep disorders, though further tests may be required to provide an accurate diagnosis.

Have the applicant score the likelihood of them falling asleep whilst completing the listed tasks.

Add up all the scores and write in the designated “total score box”.

Interpret the results as per the scale below.

Score: 1- 6 = Enough Sleep
Score: 7-8 = Tend to be sleepy during the day
Score: 9- 15 = Very sleepy
Score: 16+ = Dangerously sleepy

For more information about the the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) click on the link http://epworthsleepinessscale.com/