If you regularly have trouble getting to sleep or sleeping through the night, if you wake up too early or have a hard time waking up at all, or if you are overly tired during the day, you may have a sleep disorder. If people complain about your loud and incessant snoring, you may have a sleep disorder!
The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is a way of finding out how sleepy someone is during the day, and was first devised by Dr Murray Johns in Australia and published in 1991. It is now used internationally by sleep clinics, research groups and sleep physicians. You can download an Epworth Sleep Form here.
If your total score was more than 5, you have mild sleepiness and may not be getting the proper sleep you need. If your score is 10 or more you should talk to your family doctor about how to improve your daytime energy levels and alertness. Your GP will decide whether to refer you to Professor Allen for a diagnostic sleep study.