The Epworth Sleepiness Scale

Determining if you have sleep apnea is a relatively involved process. First, you need to realize that you are at risk of having sleep apnea and identify potential symptoms. Then, you need to visit your doctor so they can assess your likelihood of having Sleep Apnea. Next, your doctor will send you to an overnight Multiple Sleep Latency Test to determine your level of Sleep Apnea. Based on the Sleep Test results, you are then prescribed a treatment such as CPAP. To determine if the prescribed treatment is effective, you then have to take follow up tests and monitor your performance.

The Epworth Sleepiness Scale test is a very simple first step in assessing the degree of symptoms that can be caused by Sleep Apnea and other sleep disorders such as Narcolepsy. The Epworth Scale quantifies an individual's propensity to fall asleep during common daytime activities. Some of the questions are more highly correlated with severity of Sleep Apnea, but because the goal of the Epworth Scale is to create a very simple, easy to take barometer for Sleep Disorders, all of the questions are valued the same.

The higher you score on the Epworth Scale, the worse the severity of Sleep Apnea. Generally, a score under 9 is normal. 10-15 is mild-to-moderate Sleep Apnea. 16 and above is Severe Sleep Apnea. Though the test has been shown to yield statistically significant results it can't replaces a doctor's assessment of a sleep disorder.

Because CPAP and other solutions are designed to minimize the symptoms of Sleep Apnea, an important use of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale is a quick test to assess the effectiveness of treatment. If you find that you scored higher on the test after a treatment then you should seek medical advice about different treatments or adjust your current treatment.

Take the Epworth Sleepiness Scale Survey

Below you can take the test to determine your Epworth Sleepiness Score and the output identifies the averages and probability of different severities of Sleep Disorders.