Likelihood of having a sleep disorder is ranked on a scale of 0-24 after all questions have been answered, and the total points of “chances of dozing” are added to produce a single number.
· 0-7: Unlikely that patient is abnormally sleepy
· 8-9: Patient has an average amount of daytime sleepiness
· 10-15: Patient may be excessively sleepy depending on the situation. Patient may want to consider seeking medical treatment
· 16-24: Patient is excessively sleepy and should consider seeking medical attention.
The ESS is used primarily to validate symptoms of sleep apnoea, narcolepsy, and idiopathic hypersomnia. All of which list excessive daytime sleepiness as a primary symptom.