Answer the eight STOP-Bang questions to screen for obstructive sleep apnea risk — snoring, tiredness, observed apnea, blood pressure, BMI, age, neck size and sex.
Result
How to use this tool
Answer the four STOP questions honestly (snoring, tiredness, observed apnea, blood pressure).
Answer the four BANG questions (BMI over 35, age over 50, neck over 40 cm, male).
If you are unsure about neck size, measure around the neck at the Adam’s apple level.
Read the score out of 8 and the risk band, and raise a high-risk result with a clinician.
Formula & worked example
Yes to snoring, tiredness and BMI over 35 gives 3 points, which is intermediate risk; adding a fourth yes reaches the high-risk band.
Limitations — read this before you rely on it
STOP-Bang screens for risk; it does not diagnose sleep apnea, grade its severity, or replace a sleep study. It is less accurate in some groups, for example people with insomnia or central apnea. This is a screening aid, not a diagnosis. This tool is for education only and is not medical advice. Talk to a clinician about any result that worries you, and never change treatment because of a calculator result.
Frequently asked questions
STOP: Snoring, Tiredness, Observed apnea, high blood Pressure. BANG: BMI over 35, Age over 50, Neck circumference over 40 cm, male Gender.
0–2 is low risk, 3–4 intermediate and 5–8 high risk for obstructive sleep apnea. Also, 2 or more STOP answers plus any BANG factor counts as high risk.
No. STOP-Bang is a screening tool with good sensitivity but modest specificity; many high scorers do not have apnea, and only a sleep study confirms it.
A larger neck means more tissue around the upper airway, which is more likely to collapse during sleep. The cut-off is 40 cm (about 15.75 inches).
Mention it to a clinician, especially if you are sleepy in the day, wake with headaches, or a partner has seen you stop breathing.