Do you frequently feel tired during the day, possibly even sleepy to the point where you nod off unintentionally? Do you notice that you are grumpy, have difficulty concentrating, or are easily distractible during the day because of not getting enough sleep?
Sleep deprivation is a big problem and can result is serious problems during the daytime! National Geographic has put out a quick and interested video to illustrate the problem with “micro-sleep.” Check out this video to see more about these brief “naps”
These little naps occur for people who are sleep deprived. So…do you know if you are sleep deprived? Complete this short quiz to find out if you are getting enough Zzzzs. This quiz is used routinely by sleep professional and comes from Johns MW (1991). “A new method for measuring daytime sleepiness: the Epworth sleepiness scale”. Sleep 14 (6): 540–5.
EPWORTH SLEEPINESS SCALE
Rate the following situations as follows:
Would never doze 0
Slight chance of dozing 1
Moderate chance of dozing 2
High chance of dozing 3
How likely are you to doze in each of these situations (write in one number above for each situation):
Situation: Chance of Dozing:
Sitting and reading _______
Watching TV _______
Sitting, inactive in a public place _______
As a passenger in a car for an hour with no break _______
Lying down to rest in the afternoon _______
Sitting and talking to someone _______
Sitting quietly after lunch without alcohol _______
In a car, while stopped for a few minutes in traffic _______
Total: _______
If your total score is 0-5, then your level of daytime sleepiness is “Super normal” – Congrats! If your total score is 6-10 then you are just “normal” and you can also pat yourself on the back for being a good snoozer! If you scored between 10-15 then you are “sleepy” and could probably benefit from some changes to your sleep routine. If you scored 15-20 then this is considered “very sleepy” and you might want to look into ways to seriously improve your nighttime sleep. If your score is 10 or more then you really need to consider going to a pulmonary sleep medicine clinic for a possible polysomnogram (sleep study). For anyone falling in the 10 or more range you may also benefit from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia. Not sure what that is and how it can help? Head over to my page http://legacycounselingservice.com/insomnia-treatment/ and keep up with my blogs this month as I talk more about insomnia and it’s treatment so you can learn how to get a good nights sleep!
Call or email me if you have questions or want to set up an appointment!