Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Epworth Sleep Scale Test
How likely are you to doze off or fall asleep in the following situations, in contrast to feeling just tired? This refers to your usual way of life in recent times. Even if you have not done some of these things recently try to work out how they would have affected you.
Use the following scale to choose the most appropriate number for each situation:
0 = no chance of dozing1 = slight chance of dozing
2 = moderate chance of dozing
3 = high chance of dozing
| Situation | Chance Of Dozing |
| Sitting and reading | |
| Watching TV | |
| Sitting inactive in a public place (e.g. a theater or a meeting) | |
| As a passenger in a car for an hour without a break | |
| Lying down to rest in the afternoon when circumstances permit | |
| Sitting and talking to someone | |
| Sitting quietly after a lunch without alcohol | |
| In a car, while stopped for a few minutes in traffic |
Interpretation:
The score obtained by adding the numbers leads to a total:
0 - 9 - average score, normal population
10 - 24 - sleep specialist advice recommended
The Epworth sleepiness scale has been validated primarily in obstructive sleep apnea. It is used to measure excessive daytime sleepiness and is repeated after the administration of treatment (e.g. CPAP) to document improvement of symptoms. In narcolepsy, the Epworth sleepiness scale has both a high specificity (100%) and sensitivity (93.5%).