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STOP-BANG Calculator

Health

Screen your obstructive sleep apnea risk with the validated 8-item STOP-BANG questionnaire, scoring snoring, tiredness, apnea, BMI, age, neck size, and sex.

Snoring

Loud enough to be heard through a closed door, or your partner elbows you for snoring at night.

Tiredness

Feel tired, fatigued, or sleepy during the daytime, even after a full night of sleep.

Observed Apnea

Anyone has observed you stop breathing, gasp, or choke during sleep.

High Blood Pressure

Diagnosed with hypertension or currently being treated for it.

BMI Over 35

Body mass index greater than 35 kg/m².

Age Over 50

Age greater than 50 years.

Neck Circumference Over 40cm

Neck circumference greater than 40cm (about 16 inches).

Male Gender

Male sex is an independent risk factor in the STOP-BANG questionnaire.

STOP-BANG Score

0/ 8

OSA Risk

—

Screening tool, not a diagnosis. A high score suggests further evaluation such as a sleep study may be warranted — always consult a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea.

What is a STOP-BANG?

A STOP-BANG Calculator applies the validated 8-item STOP-BANG questionnaire — Snoring, Tiredness, Observed apnea, blood Pressure, BMI, Age, Neck circumference, and Gender — to screen for the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Each "yes" answer adds one point, producing a score from 0 to 8 that places you into a low, intermediate, or high risk category for OSA.

Developed by Dr. Frances Chung and colleagues and first published in Anesthesiology in 2008, STOP-BANG is one of the most widely used and best-validated OSA screening tools in both surgical and general medical settings. This calculator reproduces that exact scoring system so you can see, item by item, how your answers contribute to your total risk score.

How to use this STOP-BANG calculator

  1. Answer Snoring — whether your snoring is loud enough to be heard through a closed door.
  2. Answer Tiredness — whether you feel tired, fatigued, or sleepy during the day, even after a full night's sleep.
  3. Answer Observed Apnea — whether anyone has noticed you stop breathing, gasp, or choke while asleep.
  4. Answer High Blood Pressure — whether you have been diagnosed with or treated for hypertension.
  5. Answer BMI Over 35, Age Over 50, Neck Circumference Over 40cm, and Male Gender based on your own characteristics.
  6. Review your STOP-BANG Score and OSA Risk Category in the results panel.
  7. If your score falls in the intermediate or high range, discuss the result with a qualified healthcare provider about further sleep apnea evaluation.

Formula & Methodology

STOP-BANG Score = Snoring + Tiredness + Observed Apnea + High Blood Pressure + BMI>35 + Age>50 + Neck>40cm + Male Gender

Each item scores 1 point for "yes" and 0 for "no," for a maximum possible score of 8 (Chung F, et al. Anesthesiology. 2008;108(5):812-821). Published risk bands are: 0-2 low risk, 3-4 intermediate risk, and 5-8 high risk of obstructive sleep apnea.

Worked example: A 55-year-old man who snores loudly, feels tired during the day, has a BMI of 37, and has a neck circumference of 42cm scores 1 (snoring) + 1 (tiredness) + 0 (no observed apnea) + 0 (no hypertension) + 1 (BMI>35) + 1 (age>50) + 1 (neck>40cm) + 1 (male) = 6, placing him in the high-risk category for obstructive sleep apnea.

Frequently Asked Questions

STOP-BANG is an acronym for the eight screening items it scores: Snoring, Tiredness, Observed apnea, blood Pressure, BMI, Age, Neck circumference, and Gender. Each item that applies to you adds one point, for a total score out of 8.
A score of 5 to 8 places you in the high-risk category for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), while 3 to 4 is intermediate risk and 0 to 2 is low risk. Higher scores correlate with a greater likelihood of moderate-to-severe OSA being confirmed on a sleep study.
No. STOP-BANG is a validated screening tool designed to flag patients who may benefit from further testing, not a diagnostic instrument on its own. A formal diagnosis requires an overnight polysomnogram or a home sleep apnea test interpreted by a qualified healthcare provider.
STOP-BANG was developed and validated by Dr. Frances Chung and colleagues, first published in Anesthesiology in 2008, originally to screen surgical patients for undiagnosed OSA before anesthesia. It has since been validated across general medical and surgical populations worldwide.
Men have a higher prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea than women of the same age and BMI, largely due to differences in fat distribution around the airway and hormonal factors. This is why male sex contributes one point in the STOP-BANG scoring system, independent of the other seven items.
Answering yes to at least 2 of the first four items (snoring, tiredness, observed apnea, blood pressure) combined with a BMI over 35, older age, male gender, or larger neck circumference still raises overall risk. The total score across all eight items is what determines the risk category, regardless of which specific items are checked.
Neck circumference should be measured at the level of the cricothyroid membrane, using a flexible tape measure while standing with the head in a neutral position. A measurement over 40cm (about 16 inches) counts as one point in the STOP-BANG score.
A high score suggests discussing sleep apnea screening with your doctor, who may refer you for a sleep study to confirm or rule out OSA. Left untreated, OSA is linked to hypertension, heart disease, and daytime accidents, so timely evaluation matters.
Yes, it was originally developed and is still widely used in pre-operative settings to flag patients at risk of undiagnosed OSA who may need extra monitoring during and after anesthesia. Anesthesiologists often use STOP-BANG scores to guide perioperative airway management decisions.
The high blood pressure item scores based on whether you have been diagnosed with or are being treated for hypertension, regardless of your current readings on medication. If you no longer carry a hypertension diagnosis after treatment, you would not score that item, but this should be confirmed with your healthcare provider rather than self-determined.
STOP-BANG screens for physical and clinical risk factors associated with obstructive sleep apnea, while the [Epworth Sleepiness Scale Calculator](/epworth-sleepiness-scale-calculator/) measures self-reported daytime sleepiness across everyday situations. The two tools assess different but related aspects of sleep health and are often used together in a sleep evaluation.
Since untreated sleep apnea is linked to hypertension, checking your reading with the [Blood Pressure Calculator](/blood-pressure-calculator/) and understanding your weight status with the [BMI Calculator](/bmi-calculator/) can add useful context. The [Sleep Debt Calculator](/sleep-debt-calculator/) can also help you see how accumulated poor sleep may be compounding daytime tiredness.
Also known as
STOP-BANG questionnaire calculatorsleep apnea screening scoreOSA risk score calculatorobstructive sleep apnea screening toolSTOP-BANG score checker