STOP-BANG: check your sleep apnea risk in 8 questions
Last updated: 2026-10-28
Quick answer
STOP-BANG is a simple 8-question screening tool for obstructive sleep apnea. Each 'yes' scores one point: Snoring, Tiredness, Observed pauses, high blood Pressure, BMI over 35, Age over 50, Neck over 40cm, and male Gender. A score of 0–2 is low risk, 3–4 intermediate, and 5–8 high risk. A high score doesn't diagnose apnea — it tells you a sleep study is worthwhile.
The 8 STOP-BANG questions
Score one point for each 'yes': (S) Do you Snore loudly? (T) Do you feel Tired or sleepy during the day? (O) Has anyone Observed you stop breathing or gasp in your sleep? (P) Do you have high blood Pressure?
(B) Is your BMI over 35? (A) Are you over 50 years of Age? (N) Is your Neck circumference over 40cm? (G) Are you male (Gender)?
What your score means
0–2 points is low risk, 3–4 is intermediate risk, and 5–8 is high risk of obstructive sleep apnea. The higher your score, the stronger the case for testing — especially with a high score plus loud snoring, witnessed pauses or daytime sleepiness.
STOP-BANG is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. Only a sleep study measures your actual breathing and oxygen overnight.
If you scored 3 or more
An intermediate or high score is a good reason to test. A SleepEase home sleep study measures a night's breathing and oxygen in your own bed for ₹2,500, with the report in 24 hours — no hospital stay, no referral needed. Message us on WhatsApp to book.
Related: sleep study pricing · cost in Kerala · CPAP & BiPAP rental · buy a CPAP machine · home test in Kozhikode · book a test
More in Conditions
- Sleep apnea symptoms: when should you get tested?
- Snoring vs sleep apnea: what's the difference?
- Sleep apnea and diabetes, blood pressure and heart disease
- Sleep study for lorry and bus drivers in Kerala
- Can sleep apnea be treated without CPAP?
- Sleep apnea in women: why it's often missed
- Does weight loss reduce sleep apnea?
- Untreated sleep apnea: what are the risks?
- What causes snoring — and when it's a warning sign
- How to stop snoring: remedies that actually work
- Snoring treatment options in Kerala, from home care to surgery
- My partner snores so loud I can't sleep — what to do
- Do anti-snoring devices work? Mouthpieces, nasal dilators and more
- Sleep study before surgery: why it matters