How likely are you to doze off or fall asleep in the following situations, without considering the moments where you feel just tired? These questions apply to your life-style, under normal conditions. If you did not do some of these activities recently, just imagine how they would affect you.

Use the following scale and choose the appropriate number for each situation.

Notez 0: no risk of dozing off
Notez 1: little risk of dozing off
Notez 2: moderate risk of dozing off
Notez 3: high risk of dozing off

Watch the television *
Make your selection 0 (no risk of dozing off) 1 (little risk of dozing off) 2 (moderate risk of dozing off) 3 (high risk of dozing off)

Sitting, inactive in a public place (theatre, meeting, etc.) (cinéma, réunion) *
Make your selection 0 (no risk of dozing off) 1 (little risk of dozing off) 2 (moderate risk of dozing off) 3 (high risk of dozing off)

Sitting as a passenger in a car for at least an hour without a break *
Make your selection 0 (no risk of dozing off) 1 (little risk of dozing off) 2 (moderate risk of dozing off) 3 (high risk of dozing off)

Lying dow to rest in the afternoon when circumstances permit *
Make your selection 0 (no risk of dozing off) 1 (little risk of dozing off) 2 (moderate risk of dozing off) 3 (high risk of dozing off)

Sitting quietly after a meal (without alcoholic beverages) *
Make your selection 0 (no risk of dozing off) 1 (little risk of dozing off) 2 (moderate risk of dozing off) 3 (high risk of dozing off)

In a car, while stopped for a few minutes in traffic or at a traffic light *
Make your selection 0 (no risk of dozing off) 1 (little risk of dozing off) 2 (moderate risk of dozing off) 3 (high risk of dozing off)

Sitting down and talking to someone *
Make your selection 0 (no risk of dozing off) 1 (little risk of dozing off) 2 (moderate risk of dozing off) 3 (high risk of dozing off)

If your result is equal or higher to 12 (out of 24), it is important to bring this coupon to your family physician, because there is a high risk that you have sleep apnea.

This symbol * shows mandatory fields.

Disclaimer:

The Epworth scale is widely used around the world. It was first developed to assess the effectiveness of sleep apnea symptom treatments, not to screen for drowsiness. If a high result, higher than 10, most certainly shows severe drowsiness, a low result can either mean “no drowsiness” or “I didn’t assess my drowsiness well”.

Please contact your physician if you have any doubts.

The Epworth scale was introduced in 1991. The first article on the subject matter refers to Johns MW. A new method for measuring daytime sleepiness: the Epworth sleepiness scale. Sleep 1991 Dec; 14(6): 540-5.