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The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is a standard, widely used 8-item questionnaire — Johns MW, "A new method for measuring daytime sleepiness: the Epworth sleepiness scale", Sleep, 1991 — that rates the likelihood of dozing off in eight everyday situations, each scored 0-3, for a total of 0-24. This is a self-report screening tool, not a diagnosis of a sleep disorder — a doctor or sleep specialist should be consulted for an actual evaluation.
How it works
Rate your chance of dozing off in each of the 8 standard situations (0 = would never doze, 3 = high chance of dozing). The tool sums all 8 scores and classifies the total against the standard published bands.
- Enter 1. Sitting and reading.
- Enter 2. Watching TV.
- Enter 3. Sitting inactive in a public place (e.g., a theater or a meeting).
- Enter 4. As a passenger in a car for an hour without a break.
- Enter 5. Lying down to rest in the afternoon when circumstances permit.
- Enter 6. Sitting and talking to someone.
- Enter 7. Sitting quietly after lunch, without alcohol.
- Enter 8. In a car, while stopped for a few minutes in traffic.
- Click Calculate to see your results.
Examples
A total score of 14
Falls in the "moderate excessive daytime sleepiness" band (13-15).
Who should use it
- Self-screening for excessive daytime sleepiness.
- Tracking sleepiness trends over time alongside lifestyle changes.
Industry applications
- Sleep medicine and diagnostics
- Occupational health screening
Advantages
- Widely validated, standard published questionnaire used in clinical and research settings.
- Quick to complete — just 8 questions.
Limitations
- A self-report tool, subject to personal interpretation and recall.
- Not a substitute for a clinical sleep evaluation.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Answering based on how you feel right now rather than your usual, typical experience recently.
- Treating a high score as a diagnosis rather than a signal to discuss with a doctor.
Best practices
- Answer based on your usual way of life in recent times, even for situations you haven't personally experienced recently — imagine how they would affect you.
Tips
- If your score is consistently 10 or above, consider discussing it with a doctor, since excessive daytime sleepiness can have several underlying causes.