Sleepiness
sleep disorders, sleep disorder, daytime sleepiness
The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is a simple self-report scale used to assess daytime sleepiness. The scale asks the respondent to rate the probability of falling asleep in a variety of situations such as reading, watching TV, sitting inactive in public place, or while riding in a car, resting in the afternoon, talking to someone, sitting quietly after lunch, stopping in traffic. A 4-point rating scale is used ranging from 0 (no chance of dozing) to 3 (high chance of dozing). The scores are summed to determine a total ESS score, which ranges between 0 and 24. The higher the score, the higher the person’s level of daytime sleepiness. A cut-off value of 10 (ESS total score > 10) is usually considered to detect excessive daytime sleepiness that could be a sign of a sleep disorder or medical problem. The ESS has been widely used in a variety of studies with normal sleepers and sleep disorders patients.