About the Epworth Sleepiness Scale
The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) measures how likely you are to doze off during the day. You rate your chance of dozing in eight ordinary situations — reading, watching TV, sitting in a meeting, being a passenger in a car and so on — from 0 (would never doze) to 3 (high chance). The total, from 0 to 24, reflects your average sleep propensity in daily life. It was published by Dr Murray Johns in 1991 and validated in adults attending a sleep disorders clinic in Melbourne, Australia, along with healthy controls.
Sleep clinics, GPs and occupational health services use the ESS when assessing possible obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia, and to check whether treatment such as CPAP is working. It is also useful if you simply feel tired all the time and want an objective way to describe it to a doctor.
Think about your usual way of life in recent times. If you have not done some of these things recently, imagine how they would have affected you. Scores above 10 indicate excessive daytime sleepiness, which is worth discussing with a clinician — especially if you drive.
With the default inputs, the epworth sleepiness scale score is 7 / 24. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the epworth sleepiness scale
- 1Think about your usual life in recent weeks, not just a single bad night.
- 2For each of the eight situations, choose your chance of dozing off (not just feeling tired).
- 3If you have not been in a situation recently, imagine how it would affect you.
- 4Read your total score and interpretation.
- 5If your score is above 10, discuss it with a clinician or sleep specialist.
Formula and method
Each of the eight situations is rated 0 (would never doze), 1 (slight chance), 2 (moderate chance) or 3 (high chance), and the ratings are summed. The situations range from very soporific (lying down in the afternoon) to rarely soporific (sitting and talking to someone), so the total captures general sleep propensity across daily life rather than in one setting.
The descriptive ranges from the scale author are: 0–5 lower normal, 6–10 higher normal, 11–12 mild excessive, 13–15 moderate excessive and 16–24 severe excessive daytime sleepiness. A total above 10 is the conventional threshold for excessive daytime sleepiness.
- situation n
- Chance of dozing in situation n: 0 never, 1 slight, 2 moderate, 3 high
Worked examples
Typical healthy adult
Slight chances while reading, as a passenger and after lunch (1 each), plus moderate chances watching TV and lying down in the afternoon (2 each), total 7 — within the higher normal range, not excessive.
Suspected sleep apnea
The ratings 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 + 3 + 1 + 2 + 1 add to 17, in the severe excessive range (16–24). Three situations carry a high chance of dozing, and a score like this usually prompts a sleep study.
Mildly excessive sleepiness
Summing 2 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 0 + 2 + 0 gives 12 — just above the normal limit of 10, in the mild excessive band.
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal Epworth score?+
Scores of 0–10 are considered normal for adults: 0–5 is lower normal and 6–10 higher normal daytime sleepiness. Scores of 11 or more indicate excessive daytime sleepiness.
What Epworth score suggests sleep apnea?+
There is no single sleep apnea cut-off. Many people with obstructive sleep apnea score above 10, but some score normally, so the ESS is used alongside tools such as STOP-Bang and an overnight sleep study.
Is feeling tired the same as dozing?+
No. The ESS asks about the chance of actually falling asleep, not about fatigue or low energy. People can feel exhausted yet score low, which points to causes other than sleepiness.
Can the Epworth score be used for driving decisions?+
It is one piece of evidence clinicians and licensing authorities consider, but driving fitness depends on a full assessment. Anyone who feels drowsy at the wheel should not drive until it is addressed.
Who owns the Epworth Sleepiness Scale?+
The ESS is copyright of Dr Murray Johns. Individuals may use it for personal and clinical purposes; commercial and research use is licensed through Mapi Research Trust.
For healthcare professionals and education only. This calculator implements a published formula or score but is not a diagnosis and does not replace clinical judgment. Verify inputs and results against the original source before using them in patient care.