Answer all 8 questions
Tick every statement that is true for you.
Your STOP-BANG score
Educational screening only. It cannot diagnose sleep apnea. Please discuss the result with your doctor.
What STOP-BANG is
STOP-BANG is an eight-question screening questionnaire for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), developed at the University of Toronto and published in 2008. It was first used to screen patients before surgery and is now used widely in clinics. Each “yes” scores one point, for a total of 0 to 8.
- Snoring, Tiredness, Observed breathing pauses, high blood Pressure
- BMI over 35, Age over 50, large Neck, male Gender
How the score is read
- 0–2 points: low risk of moderate to severe OSA.
- 3–4 points: intermediate risk.
- 5–8 points: high risk.
- You are also placed in the high-risk group if you answer yes to 2 or more of the four STOP questions and you are male, or your BMI is over 35, or your neck is large.
If you do not know your BMI, work it out first with the BMI Calculator. Measure your neck just below the Adam’s apple, or use your usual shirt collar size.
How reliable is it?
STOP-BANG is sensitive: a low score makes moderate to severe sleep apnea unlikely. A high score is less specific, so many people with a high score turn out not to have significant OSA. That is why it is used to decide who needs a sleep study, not to make the diagnosis. Only a sleep test (home sleep apnea test or overnight polysomnography) can confirm OSA and show how severe it is.
When to see a doctor sooner
Whatever your score, talk to a doctor if you fall asleep while driving, a partner regularly sees you stop breathing, or you wake up choking. Untreated sleep apnea is linked with high blood pressure, heart rhythm problems and road accidents, and effective treatments exist.
Educational screening only. Please discuss your result with your doctor.