Epworth Sleepiness Scale — Free Self-Assessment
The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is an 8-question self-assessment researchers have used since 1991 to gauge daytime sleepiness. Answer 8 questions about your likelihood of dozing in everyday situations to get a score for general educational reference — this is not a diagnosis.
The ESS is scored 0–24. Published sources commonly describe 0–10 as a lower/normal-ish range, with higher scores often grouped into mildly, moderately, or markedly elevated bands. Scores above roughly 10 are often discussed alongside a recommendation to speak with a clinician, though the ESS alone cannot confirm any specific condition.
by Murray Johns
original instrument
range
in original 1991 study
Take the Epworth Sleepiness Scale
Rate your chance of dozing in each situation based on your usual daily life recently — not just today. Select 0–3 for all 8 questions.
How likely are you to doze off?
Rate each situation 0–3. Complete all 8 questions to see your score.
How ESS Scores Are Commonly Grouped
Published sources commonly describe ESS results using bands like these, though exact cutoffs vary slightly between sources. These are descriptive labels from the literature, not clinical diagnoses.
What the ESS Measures — and What It Doesn’t
The scale was designed as a simple screening reference, not a standalone diagnostic instrument.
The Epworth Sleepiness Scale was developed by Dr. Murray Johns and published in the journal Sleep in 1991 as a brief, self-administered way to quantify general daytime sleepiness. It asks respondents to rate their likelihood of dozing across 8 everyday situations, and the 8 individual ratings are summed into a single score from 0 to 24.
What it captures
A self-reported snapshot of how likely someone is to doze in low-stimulation, everyday situations — a general proxy for daytime sleepiness.
What it doesn’t do
It does not identify a specific cause, diagnose any sleep disorder, or replace objective testing such as polysomnography.
How it’s typically used
Often as an initial, low-cost reference point that may prompt further conversation with a healthcare provider, alongside other evaluation methods.
What Published Research Says About Reliability
Reliability findings vary depending on the population studied — results are not uniform across every context.
In Johns’s original 1991 validation involving healthy medical students retested about 5 months apart, scores were strongly correlated (r = 0.82), and the instrument showed high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha 0.88).
A later study in a sleep-clinic population reported more modest test-retest reliability (ICC ≈ 0.73), with some individuals showing wider variation between repeat scores.
Reviews examining correlation between ESS scores and objective sleep-latency testing (such as the MSLT) have generally found a statistically significant but relatively weak relationship.
Epworth Sleepiness Scale FAQ
Answers drawn from published ESS research, written for general educational understanding.
The ESS is an 8-question self-administered questionnaire developed by Dr. Murray Johns and published in the journal Sleep in 1991. It asks how likely you are to doze off in 8 everyday situations, producing a total score from 0 to 24. It’s widely used as a research and screening reference, not a diagnostic instrument.
In Johns’s original 1991 study, healthy participants averaged about 4.6 (± 2.8). Many published sources describe roughly 0–10 as a normal-ish range, though this is a general pattern from the literature rather than a fixed medical cutoff, and individual variation is common.
Published studies have associated elevated ESS scores with conditions such as insufficient sleep, obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and idiopathic hypersomnia. The score itself cannot indicate which of these — or something else entirely, like a temporary stretch of poor sleep — applies to any individual.
Each of the 8 questions is rated 0 (would never doze) to 3 (high chance of dozing). The 8 ratings are added together for a total score between 0 and 24.
No. The ESS is a subjective screening reference, not a diagnostic tool. Diagnosing conditions like obstructive sleep apnea typically requires objective testing — polysomnography (PSG) or a home sleep apnea test (HSAT) — ordered and interpreted by a qualified healthcare provider.
Johns’s 1991 validation found good test-retest reliability (r = 0.82) among healthy participants retested months apart. Later research in clinical sleep-center populations found more variable reliability (ICC around 0.73), and correlation with objective sleep-latency testing is statistically significant but relatively modest. In short: useful as a general reference, but not a precision instrument.
If You’re Unsure What Your Score Means
These are general, non-diagnostic points to consider — not a personalized recommendation.
A single score is a snapshot, not a trend — consider retaking the assessment after a few weeks if your sleep patterns are inconsistent.
Persistent, unexplained daytime sleepiness that affects daily functioning is generally worth discussing with a healthcare provider, regardless of the exact numeric score.
Only a qualified clinician, often using additional tools like a sleep history, physical exam, or objective testing, can determine an underlying cause.
Everyday factors — irregular schedules, caffeine, screen use before bed, or stress — can influence ESS-type responses independent of any sleep disorder.
Explore More Sleep Reference Tools
Check out other educational, research-based sleep self-assessments on SmartSleepCalc.