What is a normal Epworth Sleepiness Scale score?

Scores of 0–10 are considered normal. Scores of 11–12 indicate mild sleepiness, 13–15 moderate sleepiness, and 16–24 severe sleepiness. Most healthy adults score between 4 and 8.

Does a high score mean I have sleep apnea?

A high ESS score suggests excessive daytime sleepiness but does not diagnose sleep apnea or any specific condition. Many disorders — including poor sleep habits, narcolepsy, and hypothyroidism — can cause high scores. Consult a doctor for diagnosis.

How often should I retake the ESS?

Clinicians often repeat the ESS every 1–3 months to track treatment response. If you are just self-screening, retaking it after any significant change in sleep habits or health is reasonable.

What if I never do one of the listed activities?

Rate the situation based on how likely you think you would be to doze if you were in that situation. This is the standard instruction from the original ESS.

Is this tool a medical diagnosis?

No. This tool is for informational purposes only. A score above 10 should prompt a conversation with a healthcare provider, not self-diagnosis or self-treatment.

Epworth Sleepiness Scale

Rate how likely you are to doze off in 8 everyday situations to get your Epworth Sleepiness Scale score with severity interpretation.

Rate Your Likelihood of Dozing

Use the scale: 0 = would never doze | 1 = slight chance | 2 = moderate chance | 3 = high chance

Answer all 8 questions
to see your ESS score.

Summary

The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is a validated self-assessment questionnaire developed by Dr. Murray Johns in 1991 to measure daytime sleepiness. You rate how likely you are to doze off in eight common situations on a 0–3 scale, producing a total score from 0 to 24. Scores above 10 suggest excessive daytime sleepiness that may warrant medical evaluation.

How it works

Read each of the 8 everyday situations listed below.
For each situation, choose how likely you are to doze off: 0 = would never doze, 1 = slight chance, 2 = moderate chance, 3 = high chance.
Rate based on your usual recent lifestyle, not how you feel today.
Click Calculate after rating all 8 situations.
Your total score (0–24) appears with a severity interpretation and guidance.

Use cases

Screen for excessive daytime sleepiness before a doctor visit.
Track changes in sleepiness over time or after starting treatment.
Assess whether sleep apnea symptoms may require a sleep study.
Evaluate the impact of shift work or irregular sleep schedules.
Support conversations with a sleep specialist or GP.
Monitor sleepiness before long drives or safety-critical tasks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-18 · Reviewed by Nham Vu