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Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS)

Also called ESS, Epworth score, daytime sleepiness

Self-rated chance of dozing in eight everyday situations (0–24).

Sitting and reading
Watching TV
Sitting inactive in a public place
Car passenger for an hour without a break
Lying down to rest in the afternoon
Sitting and talking to someone
Sitting quietly after lunch without alcohol
In a car, stopped a few minutes in traffic

Fill 8 more fields to see the result.

Formula and scoring

Eight items scored 0–3; total 0–24. Bands: 0–5, 6–10 normal; 11–12 mild, 13–15 moderate, 16–24 severe excessive daytime sleepiness.

Exam and ward pearls

  • ESS >10 is the usual threshold for excessive daytime sleepiness when screening for OSA, narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia.
  • ESS measures sleepiness, not apnoea; a normal ESS does not exclude OSA.

When not to rely on it

  • Item labels here are shortened; use the licensed questionnaire wording when administering it.

Source

  1. Johns MW. A new method for measuring daytime sleepiness: the Epworth sleepiness scale. Sleep. 1991;14(6):540-5. doi:10.1093/sleep/14.6.540 · PMID 1798888
  2. Johns MW. About the ESS: interpretation of total scores. Official Epworth Sleepiness Scale website. Link

Formula and cut-offs checked against these sources on 8 Nov 2026. Educational tool for clinicians; it does not replace clinical judgement.

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