Epworth Sleepiness Scale

The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) form digitizes the most widely used subjective measure of daytime sleepiness, developed by Dr. Murray Johns at the Epworth Hospital in Melbourne. The eight-item questionnaire asks patients to rate their likelihood of dozing off in common daily situations on a 0-3 scale (would never doze, slight chance, moderate chance, high chance). Situations include sitting and reading, watching television, sitting inactive in a public place, riding as a passenger, lying down to rest in the afternoon, sitting and talking, sitting quietly after lunch, and stopping in traffic.

The total score ranges from 0 to 24, with established clinical thresholds: normal (0-10), mild excessive daytime sleepiness (11-14), moderate (15-17), and severe (18-24). Scores above 10 suggest a level of daytime sleepiness that warrants clinical evaluation for underlying sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, idiopathic hypersomnia, or insufficient sleep syndrome. The digital format includes fields for the total and maps it to severity categories.

This template is essential for sleep medicine clinics, pulmonology practices, primary care settings evaluating fatigue complaints, and occupational health programs assessing fitness for duty in safety-sensitive positions. The ESS is frequently used as both a screening tool and a treatment outcome measure, allowing clinicians to track improvement in sleepiness following interventions such as CPAP therapy, medications, or behavioral changes. It is recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine as part of the standard sleep evaluation.