The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is a widely used questionnaire developed by Dr. Murray Johns in 1991 to measure daytime sleepiness. It consists of 8 questions about different everyday situations, where you rate your likelihood of dozing off on a scale of 0-3. The total score helps identify whether you have excessive daytime sleepiness that may require medical attention.

Each of the 8 situations is scored from 0 to 3: 0 means you would never doze, 1 means slight chance of dozing, 2 means moderate chance, and 3 means high chance of dozing. The scores are added together for a total ranging from 0 to 24. Scores of 0-7 indicate normal sleepiness, 8-9 is average, 10-15 suggests moderate excessive sleepiness, and 16-24 indicates severe excessive sleepiness.

A score of 10 or higher on the ESS indicates excessive daytime sleepiness that may be caused by sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, or insufficient sleep. Scores between 10-15 suggest moderate sleepiness where you should consider consulting a healthcare provider. Scores of 16 or higher indicate severe sleepiness and you should seek medical attention promptly, as this can affect your daily functioning and safety.

The ESS is a validated screening tool with good reliability and has been used in clinical practice for over 30 years. While it’s effective for identifying excessive daytime sleepiness, it’s a screening tool rather than a diagnostic test. It should be used alongside other assessments by healthcare professionals. The ESS is particularly useful for detecting sleep apnea and monitoring treatment effectiveness.

The ESS includes 8 common situations: sitting and reading, watching TV, sitting inactive in a public place, being a car passenger for an hour, lying down to rest in the afternoon, sitting and talking to someone, sitting quietly after lunch without alcohol, and being stopped in traffic for a few minutes. These situations range from passive activities to more engaging ones to assess your sleepiness across different contexts.