Epworth Sleepiness Scale
The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is the most frequently used tool in the world for assessing a person’s average level of daytime sleepiness. Murray W. Johns of Epworth Hospital in Melbourne, Australia developed the ESS in 1990. Using eight easy to understand questions, the assessment is designed to test a patient’s likelihood of falling asleep during a range of daily activities. Daytime drowsiness is a common denominator of nearly all sleep disorders. Therefore, by determining how sleepy you are during certain daily activities, you can decide if it makes sense to discuss your results with a trained sleep specialist. You can find out more about the Epworth Sleepiness Scale at Dr. John’s website.
Consider how likely are you to fall asleep in the following situations, which is different from just feeling tired. These things refer to your normal way of life. If you have not done some of these activities lately, take a moment to work out in your mind how they would have affected you. Select the most appropriate number from the scale for each situation:
