Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) Assessment

Introduction:

The Epworth Sleepiness Scale estimates how readily you may fall asleep during ordinary daytime activities. It presents eight everyday situations and asks you to rate your likelihood of dozing from 0 (never) to 3 (high chance), summarising habitual sleepiness rather than single-night fatigue. Consistent results help identify whether excessive sleepiness affects safe driving, learning, or workplace productivity.

Developed by sleep researchers, the scale correlates strongly with objective polysomnography measures. By adding the numeric ratings for each scenario, clinicians obtain a composite score from 0 to 24. Higher totals indicate greater daytime dysfunction and may flag conditions such as obstructive sleep apnoea, narcolepsy, insomnia, or medication side-effects needing further evaluation.

Use this quick assessment whenever persistent daytime drowsiness hampers concentration or safety, and discuss high scores with a qualified healthcare provider before changing treatment; results do not constitute a clinical diagnosis.

Technical Details:

The tool converts your eight scenario ratings into a single ordinal value representing habitual sleep propensity over daytime hours. That total is then categorised into five evidence-based ranges — lower normal through severe — to simplify clinical interpretation.

Each scenario measures a different kind of passive or active environment, balancing social stimulation and physical comfort. Aggregating them improves sensitivity by smoothing unusually high or low responses that might occur in a single situation.

• 0 – Would never doze
• 1 – Slight chance of dozing
• 2 – Moderate chance of dozing
• 3 – High chance of dozing
• 24 – Theoretical maximum score

All processing occurs entirely in your browser for instant feedback and complete data privacy.

Calculations & Scoring:

Two simple operations transform your answers into a meaningful severity label.

Step-by-Step Guide:

Follow these steps to complete and interpret the assessment.

1. Click Start Assessment to reveal the first question.
2. Select the radio button that best matches your chance of dozing for each scenario.
3. Use the side question list to revisit answers at any time.
4. Watch the progress bar fill as you answer all eight questions.
5. The results page shows your score, colour-coded badge, explanatory text, and a bar chart of severity bands.
6. Print or screenshot the answers table if you plan to discuss findings with a professional.

FAQ:

Answers to common questions help you get reliable results.

Troubleshooting:

Resolve common issues quickly with these tips.

• No result appears – ensure all eight questions have been answered.
• Progress bar stuck at 87% – scroll to confirm you did not miss a hidden question.
• Results chart not loading – reload the page; most charting errors clear immediately.
• Printout cuts off answers – switch printer layout to landscape or reduce scaling to 90%.
• Accessibility reader mispronounces numbers – enable speech-number mode in your assistive technology settings.

Advanced Tips:

Maximise assessment usefulness with these expert suggestions.

• Retest monthly to track how lifestyle changes affect daytime alertness.
• Compare morning versus evening scores to uncover circadian-rhythm impacts.
• Log caffeine intake before each test to see its influence on results.
• Use a consistent device and environment to minimise contextual bias.
• Pair the scale with a seven-day sleep diary for richer clinical insight.

Glossary:

Key terms used throughout the assessment.

ESS

Epworth Sleepiness Scale; eight-item questionnaire quantifying sleepiness.

Daytime Sleepiness

Tendency to fall asleep during waking hours.

Score

Sum of eight ratings; ranges from 0 to 24.

Severity Band

Category describing clinical significance of the score.

Polysomnography

Laboratory sleep study measuring multiple physiological signals.