Sleepwise Sleep Clinics and Therapy

Sleepwise provides professional sleep therapy services and advice, including clinics, one-to-one appointments, self-help products, CDs, articles and free products. Keywords: sleep clinic, sleep apnea, pure sleep, sleep experts, sleep depot, sit and sleep, sleep matters, sleep therapist, sleep management, sleep products, sleep help, sleep consultancy, sleep workshop, coaching, training, CPD.  

Sleep & Stress
Consultants
since
1999

Sleepwise Sleep Clinics and Therapy

Sleepwise provides professional sleep therapy services and advice, including clinics, one-to-one appointments, self-help products, CDs, articles and free products. Keywords: sleep clinic, sleep apnea, pure sleep, sleep experts, sleep depot, sit and sleep, sleep matters, sleep therapist, sleep management, sleep products, sleep help, sleep consultancy, sleep workshop, coaching, training, CPD.  

The Sleep Deprivation Test

Personal Version

Sections 1 and 2 of this test have been devised to help potential Sleepwise clients become aware if they are suffering from the effects of sleep deprivation or ‘sleep debt’. It is not intended to identify medical issues, however it is possible that the underlying cause of the sleep deprivation could be medical and thus results indicating such should be discussed with their doctor. Sections 3, 4 and 5 add detail to your sleep problems and habits, and reflect what the Sleep Therapist will ask you at your initial session.

No data is recorded whilst using this test. Please be honest with yourself. Sleep deprivation can cause potentially serious health, safety and workplace performance issues. If at the end of this test you have concerns about your sleep, we do encourage you to contact a Sleep Therapist, or your doctor, to discuss how your could improve the quality and effectiveness of your sleep.

We suggest that you only consider the last 30 days when answering the questions. You can consider a longer period if you wish, however this test was designed to only consider the past 30 days to avoid exaggerating results, and as a comparison tool against a standard data set.

The results would normally be assessed by a Sleep Therapist, so as you are self assessing yourself, if you have ticked any Red questions, you should consider these to be serious enough to discuss your sleep with a Sleep Therapist or your doctor. Amber questions could indicate lifestyle issues that need to be addressed, or can be easily explained e.g. falling asleep during a very boring training session or TV programme.

Copyright © Sleepwise.co.uk 2015 - if you wish to use or publish this test in any form you are permitted to do so, however you must ensure that it includes Sleepwise as the source, including clear references to this website - www.sleepwise.co.uk - with a ‘clickable’ link where appropriate.

Sleep Deprivation Test

Section 1 - Micro Sleeps

Micro sleeps can be very dangerous. The most common noticeable occurrence is when driving in an exhausted or sleep deprived state, however they can occur at almost any time if suffering from sleep deprivation.

I experience one or two second blackouts or loss of awareness (micro sleeps):

1.  Never or Very Rarely  

2.  Sometimes   (for example; evenings and only when very tired after a long hard working day)

3.  Occasionally  (for example; during the day maybe two or three times in the last month)

4.  Frequently   (for example; during the day one or twice a week)

5.  Very Often  (for example; more often than above)

If you have answered 3. 4. or 5., how do they occur? - Tick all that apply

 Every day around the same time

 Unexpectedly without warning

 Repeatedly one after the other within seconds or minutes of each other

 Uncontrollable and persistent (for example; even after drinking a strong coffee or energy drink)

 Often lasting longer than 2 seconds


Section 2 - Inability to Concentrate

When suffering sleep deprivation, normal functions, especially decision making, forward thinking and both mental and physical dexterity are impaired. Mistakes are common and response to perceived and actual criticism can be exaggerated and inappropriate.

I experience an inability to concentrate:

1.  Never or Very Rarely  

2.  Sometimes   (for example; evenings and only when very tired after a long hard working day)

3.  Occasionally  (for example; during the day, especially late morning and afternoon 2 or 3 times a month)

4.  Frequently   (for example; during the day, especially late morning and afternoon once or twice a week)

5.  Very Often  (for example; during the day, especially late morning and afternoon more often than above)

When does this occur? - Tick all that apply

 Mornings

 Afternoons

 Evenings

 Night shifts

What normally happens? Tick all that apply

 I make mistakes

 I get angry

 I cry

 I accidentally break things

 I find an excuse to avoid / leave work

 I blame others


Optional extra questions for your Therapist

Section 3 - Health Issues

Someone who is sleep deprived can exhibit a number of symptoms and have a number of health issues. This test looks at the most common of these. One difficulty in assessing the health issues associated with sleep deprivation is that a health problem may be the cause of the sleep deprivation, for example sleep apnoea.

If you have health issues that are make worse by any of the following and which you find difficult to stop or resist, then you may need to consider sleep deprivation as an influencing factor and seek assistance.

The following must be considered a basic test only.

When I am very tired to keep me going I like to:

Tick all that apply.

 Eat something like a pastry or cake

 Eat sweets or sugar products

 Drink energy drinks

 Drink high caffeine drinks

 Smoke

 Drink alcohol lunchtimes

 Drink alcohol evenings

 Binge eating

 Binge drinking


Section 4 - Sleep Habits

Your Sleep Therapist will need to know how sleep, or lack of sleep, affects you, how much sleep you believe you are getting and when you are able to sleep. The normal sleep pattern is assumed for the purposes of this questionnaire to be 7 to 9 hours sleep overnight. Different sleep patterns are not necessarily wrong or bad for you, however if your answers in sections 1 or 2 have highlighted a sleep deficiency, an abnormal sleep pattern could be contributing to this.

Sleep Influencers - tick all that apply

 Shift working - on rotation

 Shift working - continuous nights

 Young children

 Night disturbances - e.g. partner snores, noisy neighbours

 Health problems - e.g. night pains, sleep apnoea, weak bladder

 Bad dreams - anxieties about future events

 Bad dreams - vivid and unexplained

 Bad dreams - reliving past events and traumas

 Can’t get to sleep - just don’t feel tired once in bed

 Can’t get to sleep - anxiety

 Like to stay up late

How many hours sleep do you believe you get on average?

  1.  Less than 4 hours
  2.  4 to 6 hours
  3.  6 to 8 hours
  4.  8 to 10 hours
  5.  Over 10 hours

How do you get your sleep?

 One single period of sleep

 One single period but often broken by disturbances, but can get back to sleep after disturbance is resolved

 One single period but if woken by a disturbance I find it difficult to return to sleep

 Sleep for a few hours at night and catch up on sleep during the day

 Often stay awake for hours and finally fall asleep exhausted

 Shift work so sleep during the day, but this is often disturbed

How do you feel after your sleep time?

 Refreshed and ready to go

 Drowsy because you are not a morning person

 Need a strong coffee

 Ready for a good breakfast

 Cannot face a breakfast

 Bad tempered - leave me alone!

 Exhausted


Section 5 - About You