Sleep & Fatigue
STOP-BANG Sleep Apnea Risk
8-item validated screening for obstructive sleep apnea risk.
STOP-BANG is an eight-item screening questionnaire developed by Chung and colleagues, widely used before surgery and in sleep clinics. Each letter stands for one risk factor: Snoring, Tiredness, Observed apnea, blood Pressure, BMI, Age, Neck circumference and Gender. It estimates the likelihood of obstructive sleep apnea; only a sleep study can confirm it.
- Snoring — Do you snore loudly (louder than talking)?
- Tired — Do you often feel tired, fatigued, or sleepy during the day?
- Observed — Has anyone observed you stop breathing during sleep?
- Pressure — Do you have or are you treated for high blood pressure?
- BMI — Is your BMI greater than 35?
- Age — Are you older than 50?
- Neck — Is your neck circumference greater than 40 cm?
- Gender — Are you male?
What your score means
0-2 — Low risk. Few risk factors present. Obstructive sleep apnea is less likely.
3-4 — Intermediate risk. Worth raising with your doctor, particularly if you snore loudly or feel sleepy by day.
5-8 — High risk. See a pulmonologist or ENT specialist about a sleep study.
Frequently asked questions
Can STOP-BANG diagnose sleep apnea?
No. Diagnosis requires a sleep study (polysomnography or a home sleep test). STOP-BANG only indicates who should be tested.
Why does it ask about age, sex and neck size?
Those are established risk factors for airway collapse during sleep, so they improve the accuracy of the screen alongside your symptoms.
What if nobody has seen me sleep?
Answer no if you genuinely do not know. Not having a witness does not lower your risk, so consider mentioning your symptoms to a doctor anyway.
Are my answers stored?
They stay in your browser unless you sign in and choose to save the result to your account.