I snore loudly — is that serious?
Snoring alone isn't always a sign of sleep apnea: plenty of people snore without it causing them any harm. What should catch your attention is a combination of several signs: loud, regular snoring, breathing pauses noticed by a partner, noticeable daytime fatigue despite what feels like a full night's sleep, or blood pressure that's hard to control. That combination is exactly what the test above tries to identify.
Why am I tired all the time?
Persistent daytime fatigue or sleepiness has many possible causes (lack of sleep, stress, deficiencies, certain medical conditions...). Sleep apnea is one of them, and it's often underestimated, because it's sleep itself that gets fragmented by repeated micro-awakenings, without the person being aware of it in the morning.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea (more precisely, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, or OSA) is characterized by repeated breathing pauses during sleep, caused by an excessive relaxation of the throat tissues that temporarily blocks the airway. These pauses fragment sleep without the person necessarily realizing it, which explains the daytime fatigue often associated with it. Left untreated, it can have long-term cardiovascular and metabolic consequences.
Why these specific 8 questions?
This test is based on the STOP-BANG questionnaire, a screening tool that has been used and studied in sleep medicine for over a decade. Its name comes from the eight criteria it assesses: Snoring, Tiredness, Observed apnea, Pressure, BMI (body mass index), Age, Neck circumference, and Gender. Its value doesn't come from the total score alone, but from how certain criteria combine with one another — this tool applies that more refined logic (see the sources at the bottom of the page).
What should I do based on my result?
Low risk: your current answers don't match the profile usually associated with sleep apnea. Stay alert if new symptoms appear.
Intermediate risk: neither reassuring nor alarming. If symptoms bother you day to day, talk to your doctor about it.
High risk: it's advisable to discuss this with your doctor fairly soon, who can assess whether a sleep study would be useful.
How does diagnosis work in France?
The typical care pathway in France starts with a consultation with your primary care doctor, who assesses your symptoms and risk factors. If they suspect sleep apnea, they will usually refer you to a pulmonologist or a sleep clinic. Diagnosis relies on a sleep recording: a home-based respiratory polygraphy (measuring breathing and oxygen levels) or, in some cases, a more complete polysomnography performed in a sleep lab. These tests confirm the diagnosis and assess its severity. If you're based outside France, the exact pathway and terminology may differ, but it typically follows the same overall logic: primary care doctor first, specialist referral if needed, then a sleep study.
