Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS)

How likely are you to doze off or fall asleep in the following situations, in contrast to just feeling tired? Even if you haven’t done some of these activities recently, think about how they would have affected you. Use this scale to choose the most appropriate number for each situation: 0 = would never doze 1 = slight chance of dozing 2 = moderate chance of dozing 3 = high chance of dozing It is important that you select a number (0 to 3) on each of the questions. Situation Chances of Dozing (0 to 3)   0 1 2 3 Sitting and reading Watching television Sitting inactive in a public place--for example, a theater or meeting As a passenger in a car for an hour without a break Lying down to rest in the afternoon Sitting and talking to someone Sitting quietly after lunch (when you’ve had no alcohol) In a car while stopped in traffic The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is used to determine the level of daytime sleepiness. A score of 10 or more is considered sleepy. A score of 18 or more is very sleepy. If you score 10 or more on this test, you should consider whether you are obtaining adequate sleep, need to improve your sleep hygiene and/or need to see a sleep specialist. These issues should be discussed with your personal physician. If your score is greater than 10, you should use caution when driving or operating heavy machinery.