The Epworth Sleepiness Scale Questionnaire
A short self-report tool measuring daytime dozing tendency.
- 8: Items scored (everyday situations)
- 0–24: Score range (per situation 0–3)
- 1991: Published (Dr. Murray Johns)
- ~2 min: Time to take (self-administered)
What it measures
Chance of dozing, not just feeling tired.
How it is scored
Each situation rated 0 (never) to 3 (high chance).
Why it matters
Flags excessive daytime sleepiness needing follow-up.
Low Scores — Minimal Daytime Sleepiness
Dozing stays unlikely across nearly every situation.
- 0–7: Typical total (normal range)
- Low: Sleep debt (well rested)
- Minimal: OSA signal (low pretest odds)
- None: Action needed (routine follow-up)
What low scores look like
Every situation rated 0 or 1.
Physiological baseline
Regular sleep, low apnea burden.
Clinical read
No referral typically warranted here.
Moderate Scores — Some Situations Trigger Dozing
Passive situations begin producing real dozing risk.
- 8–15: Typical total (mild to moderate)
- 2–4: Trigger sites (passive settings)
- Rising: OSA signal (worth monitoring)
- Track: Action needed (symptom diary)
Pattern shift
Reading and TV start scoring 2 or higher.
Common cause
Fragmented sleep from mild airway narrowing.
Clinical read
Consider a sleep history at next visit.
High Scores — Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
Most situations, even active ones, now trigger dozing.
- 16–24: Typical total (severe range)
- 6–8: Trigger sites (nearly all items)
- High: OSA signal (strong pretest odds)
- Refer: Action needed (sleep study advised)
Pattern shift
Even traffic and talking now score 2–3.
Common cause
Repeated apnea events fragment deep sleep.
Clinical read
Polysomnography referral is recommended.
Score Interpretation — From Total to Referral
The total score converts into an OSA likelihood estimate.
- 0–7: Normal (no excess sleepiness)
- 8–9: Mild (monitor symptoms)
- 10–15: Moderate (evaluate further)
- 16–24: Severe (refer for sleep study)
Reading the total
Sum all 8 item scores, 0 to 24.
Mapping to risk
Higher totals correlate with higher OSA odds.
Next step
Scores above 10 typically prompt referral.
Score band summary