Epworth Sleepiness Scale
Epworth Sleepiness Scale – a self-administered questionnaire
The ESS was introduced at the Epworth Hospital in Melbourne in 1990 by Dr Murray Johns. It is a self-administered questionnaire (usually less than 4 minutes to complete) that is aimed at measuring daytime sleepiness.
It focuses on measuring the Average Sleep Propensity (ASP) in selected types of day-to-day activities. ASP has three stages of different severity: mild, moderate, and severe, that are used to quantify the propensity of falling asleep.
Answer some simple questions to get your score, then if you prefer you can submit the score to our sleep specialist prior to a consultation by filling out the contact form.
Epworth Sleepiness Scale Results
Interpretation of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale
A threshold at 9 points has been established which means that scores below 9 are considered in the normal range of sleep propensity while scores above 0 may indicate the presence of one or more sleep disturbances.
Therefore, scores between 10 and 24 come with the recommendation for further diagnosis and treatment.
When analysing the ESS results and taking in consideration the risk for sleep apnea, results between 11 and 15 are associated with the probability of an additional diagnosis of mild to moderate sleep apnea. Scores above 16 are associated with probability of additional diagnosis of severe sleep apnea and/or narcolepsy.