Sleep Quiz: How Well Do You Really Sleep?

Apr 22

Most people believe they're getting adequate sleep, yet research suggests otherwise. A staggering 70% of adults report experiencing sleep problems at least once a week, while 1 in 3 regularly struggles with sleep issues that affect their daytime functioning.

In preparation for our upcoming episode with sleep neuroscientist Dr. Mark Kohler, we've created this evidence-based sleep assessment to help you evaluate your sleep quality and identify potential areas for improvement.

Take the Sleep Quality Self-Assessment

Answer each question honestly based on your typical sleep patterns over the past month. After completing the quiz, we'll provide an analysis of your sleep health and suggest specific sections of our upcoming episode that might be most beneficial for your situation.

Section 1: Sleep Duration and Continuity

1. On average, how many hours of sleep do you get per night?

a) Less than 5 hours
b) 5-6 hours
c) 6-7 hours
d) 7-8 hours
e) More than 8 hours

2. How long does it typically take you to fall asleep after getting into bed?

a) Less than 10 minutes
b) 10-20 minutes
c) 20-30 minutes
d) 30-60 minutes
e) More than 60 minutes

3. How often do you wake up during the night?

a) Rarely or never
b) 1-2 times per night
c) 3-4 times per night
d) More than 4 times per night
e) I'm awake more than I'm asleep

4. When you wake during the night, how difficult is it to fall back asleep?

a) I fall back asleep almost immediately
b) It takes me less than 10 minutes
c) It takes me 10-30 minutes
d) It takes me more than 30 minutes
e) I often cannot fall back asleep at all

Section 2: Sleep Environment and Habits

5. How comfortable is your sleep environment (considering factors like mattress, noise, temperature, and light)?

a) Extremely comfortable and conducive to sleep
b) Mostly comfortable with minor issues
c) Moderately comfortable with some disruptions
d) Uncomfortable with several problems
e) Very uncomfortable with major sleep disruptions

6. How consistent is your sleep schedule (going to bed and waking up at approximately the same times)?

a) Very consistent (within 30 minutes) even on weekends
b) Mostly consistent on weekdays, slightly different on weekends
c) Somewhat inconsistent, varying by 1-2 hours
d) Very inconsistent, often varying by more than 2 hours
e) Completely irregular with no consistent pattern

7. How often do you use electronic devices (phones, tablets, computers, TV) within an hour of bedtime?

a) Never or rarely
b) 1-2 nights per week
c) 3-4 nights per week
d) 5-6 nights per week
e) Every night

8. How frequently do you consume caffeine within 6 hours of bedtime or alcohol within 3 hours of bedtime?

a) Never or rarely
b) 1-2 times per week
c) 3-4 times per week
d) 5-6 times per week
e) Daily

Section 3: Daytime Effects and Sleep Quality

9. How would you rate your overall sleep quality?

a) Excellent
b) Good
c) Fair
d) Poor
e) Very poor

10. How often do you feel excessively tired or fatigued during the day?

a) Never or rarely
b) 1-2 days per week
c) 3-4 days per week
d) 5-6 days per week
e) Every day

11. How often do you have trouble concentrating, remembering information, or making decisions due to sleepiness?

a) Never or rarely
b) 1-2 days per week
c) 3-4 days per week
d) 5-6 days per week
e) Every day

12. How often do you take naps during the day?

a) Never or rarely
b) Occasionally (1-2 times per month)
c) 1-2 days per week
d) 3-4 days per week
e) 5 or more days per week

Section 4: Sleep-Related Symptoms

13. How often do you snore loudly (loud enough to be heard through a closed door or to disturb a partner)?

a) Never or I don't know
b) Rarely
c) Sometimes
d) Often
e) Almost always

14. Has anyone observed you stop breathing or gasp/choke during sleep?

a) Never or I don't know
b) Rarely
c) Sometimes
d) Often
e) Almost always

15. Do you experience unpleasant sensations in your legs (crawling, tingling) that make you feel you need to move them, particularly in the evening or at night?

a) Never
b) Rarely
c) Sometimes
d) Often
e) Almost always

Scoring Your Sleep Assessment

Scoring key:

a = 4 points (except questions 13-15, where a = 0 points)
b = 3 points
c = 2 points
d = 1 point
e = 0 points

For questions 13-15 (sleep disorder indicators):

a = 0 points
b = 1 point
c = 2 points
d = 3 points
e = 4 points

Total possible score: 60 points

Interpreting Your Score

50-60 points: Excellent Sleep Health You're among the fortunate minority who appear to have healthy, restorative sleep patterns. In our upcoming episode, you might be particularly interested in Dr. Kohler's discussion on optimizing peak cognitive performance through sleep and the cutting-edge research in sleep science.

40-49 points: Good Sleep Health with Minor Issues Your sleep is generally good, but there are specific areas that could be improved. Pay attention to the questions where you scored lowest, as these highlight potential issues. Our episode sections on sleep environment optimization and circadian rhythm alignment might be particularly valuable for fine-tuning your sleep.

30-39 points: Moderate Sleep Challenges You're experiencing some consistent issues that are likely affecting your energy levels and cognitive performance. The sections of our episode covering behavioral approaches to better sleep and Dr. Kohler's evidence-based sleep onset techniques could provide significant benefits.

20-29 points: Significant Sleep Problems Your sleep quality is concerning and likely impacting multiple aspects of your health and daily functioning. Consider listening carefully to Dr. Kohler's discussions about common sleep disorders and when to seek professional help. The sleep hygiene and environment optimization sections will also be highly relevant.

Below 20 points: Severe Sleep Difficulties Your responses indicate serious sleep challenges that warrant professional attention. While our episode will provide valuable education on sleep science, we strongly encourage you to consult with a healthcare provider or sleep specialist. Dr. Kohler discusses the importance of professional sleep evaluations and treatment options in the episode.

Red Flags to Be Aware Of

If you answered c, d, or e to questions 13 or 14, you may have symptoms of sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder that requires medical evaluation.
If you answered c, d, or e to question 15, you may be experiencing restless leg syndrome, which can significantly impact sleep quality.
If you consistently score 0-1 on multiple questions in Section 3 (Daytime Effects), your sleep problems are having a substantial impact on your daily functioning.

What's Next?

Join us for our in-depth conversation with sleep neuroscientist Dr. Mark Kohler on "Deep Sleep Secrets: How Rest Transforms Your Brain." The episode is available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music.

Share Your Experience

Do your quiz results match your perception of your sleep quality? Are there specific sleep challenges you're hoping we'll address in our conversation with Dr. Kohler? Let us know in the comments below!

Dr. Steven Stolz is an educator, philosopher, and academic at the University of Adelaide. His podcast, "Deep Thinking with Dr. Steven Stolz," bridges academic insights with practical wisdom, exploring both personal wellbeing and contemporary issues in education and society. New episodes release fortnightly on major podcast platforms.

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Steven Stolz, PhD