The STOP-BANG Questionnaire Explained: Screening Yourself for Sleep Apnoea

If you or your partner suspect your snoring might be something more, the STOP-BANG questionnaire is a quick, well-established way to gauge your risk of obstructive sleep apnoea. Here's how it works and what to do with your result.

What is the STOP-BANG questionnaire?

STOP-BANG is a screening tool used widely by clinicians, including anaesthetists assessing patients before surgery, to identify people who may have obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). It was developed because OSA is often undiagnosed, and a short set of yes or no questions can flag those who would benefit from further investigation.

The name is an acronym for the eight factors it checks: Snoring, Tiredness, Observed apnoea, Pressure (blood pressure), Body mass index, Age, Neck circumference, and Gender. Each factor you answer "yes" to scores one point, giving you a total out of eight.

It's important to understand that STOP-BANG is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. It tells you whether it's worth investigating further, not whether you definitely have sleep apnoea. For a proper explanation of the condition itself, see What Is Sleep Apnoea? Symptoms, Causes and Treatment.

The eight STOP-BANG questions

Answer each honestly. It often helps to ask a partner or family member for their observations too, since some of these things are hard to notice about yourself.

• S – Snoring: Do you snore loudly (louder than talking, or loud enough to be heard through closed doors)?
• T – Tiredness: Do you often feel tired, fatigued, or sleepy during the daytime, even after what should be a full night's sleep?
• O – Observed apnoea: Has anyone observed you stop breathing, choke, or gasp during your sleep?
• P – Pressure: Do you have, or are you being treated for, high blood pressure?
• B – BMI: Is your body mass index greater than 35 kg/m²?
• A – Age: Are you older than 50?
• N – Neck circumference: Is your neck circumference greater than 40cm (roughly 16 inches)?
• G – Gender: Are you male?

Give yourself one point for every "yes". Add them up for your total score.

Understanding your score

Broadly, STOP-BANG scores are grouped into three risk bands:

• 0 to 2: Low risk of obstructive sleep apnoea.
• 3 to 4: Intermediate risk.
• 5 to 8: High risk.

Some clinical versions give extra weight to certain answers, particularly for people with a high BMI or neck size, which can push someone into a higher risk category even with a lower overall total. The exact cut-offs can vary slightly depending on which version of the tool is used, but the general pattern holds: more "yes" answers means a higher likelihood that sleep apnoea is present and worth investigating.

A low score is reassuring, but it doesn't rule OSA out entirely, particularly if you have strong symptoms like witnessed breathing pauses. Equally, a high score doesn't confirm the diagnosis. It simply means the odds are higher and a proper assessment makes sense.

Why gender, age and neck size matter

These factors are included because they reflect well-recognised patterns in who tends to develop OSA. Men, older adults, and people with a larger neck circumference are statistically more likely to have the airway anatomy or fat distribution that contributes to airway collapse during sleep. That doesn't mean women, younger people, or those with slimmer necks are immune, only that these are useful risk markers rather than absolute rules.

What to do with your result

If you score low (0 to 2)

Your risk appears low, but it's still worth paying attention to your sleep quality generally. If snoring is disruptive for you or your partner, our 60-second sleep quiz can help you think through other aspects of your sleep and snoring pattern.

If you score intermediate (3 to 4) or high (5 to 8)

This is a sensible point to speak to your GP. Mention your STOP-BANG score and describe your symptoms, including anything a partner has noticed about your breathing at night. Your GP can decide whether a referral for a sleep study is appropriate. Our guide on how sleep apnoea is diagnosed in the UK walks through what that process typically involves, both on the NHS and privately.

When to see a GP regardless of your score

Some symptoms warrant a GP visit even if your STOP-BANG score is low, because the questionnaire is a general screening tool and won't catch every individual case. See your GP if you experience:

• Loud, persistent snoring accompanied by gasping or choking sounds during sleep.
• Witnessed pauses in breathing while asleep, even if infrequent.
• Excessive daytime exhaustion that affects your concentration, mood, or safety, particularly if you feel sleepy while driving.

These are red-flag symptoms that deserve proper medical attention rather than self-assessment alone. Untreated sleep apnoea has been linked to wider health effects over time, so it's worth taking seriously rather than hoping it improves on its own.

A practical next step

The STOP-BANG questionnaire takes only a couple of minutes to complete honestly, and it gives you a genuinely useful starting point for a conversation with your GP. Visit our sleep apnoea hub for a fuller picture of causes, symptoms and treatment options, and don't hesitate to book a GP appointment if anything about your sleep or breathing at night concerns you. Getting checked is straightforward, and for most people, effective treatment is available once a diagnosis is confirmed.