One in three Australians suffer from poor quality sleep. New research suggests sleep deprivation is costing the Australian economy more than $5.1 billion a year in both direct and indirect costs.
Many people with asthma have sensitivities to certain drugs that can precipitate an asthma attack. If you have asthma, you need to be aware of which medications may be triggers. You do not need to avoid these medications unless you know they are asthma triggers for you. If these medications have never triggered your asthma, it is still best to take the medications with caution because a reaction can occur at any time.
1 in 2 Australians will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85, with more than 60% of cancer patients surviving more than five years after diagnosis.According to a recent US study the hidden psychological scars caused by the diagnosis of cancer can leave scaring akin to that inflicted by war, with the impact in some cases lasting for years.Do I Have A Sleep Disorder?
The Epworth Sleepiness Scale
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.
Epworth Sleepiness Score (ESS)
Below is the ESS, get a pen and paper and write out your score for each of the questions below. Then add your total score up out of 24.
0 – No chance of falling asleep
1 – Slight chance of falling asleep
2 – Moderate chance of falling asleep
3 – High chance of falling asleep
| Sitting and Reading | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Watching TV | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Sitting inactive in a public place | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| As a passenger in a car for an hour without a break | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Lying down in the afternoon when circumstances permit | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Sitting and talking to someone | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Sitting quietly after lunch without alcohol | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| In a car while stopped in traffic for a few minutes | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
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 doctor about how to improve your daytime energy levels and alertness.
Take your score to your doctor and talk about whether you might require a diagnostic sleep study.