AIS · Sleep difficulties
If falling asleep or feeling rested has been difficult
Source · Soldatos CR, Dikeos DG, Paparrigopoulos TJ. Athens Insomnia Scale: validation of an instrument based on ICD-10 criteria. J Psychosom Res. 2000;48(6):555–560. CareOps English translation of its existing Korean questionnaire. Wording, response choices and descriptive score ranges follow the CareOps version and have not been independently validated in English.
Read your nights and your days together
The Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) is an eight-item self-report measure based on the ICD-10 criteria for insomnia. Five items cover getting to sleep, waking during the night, waking early, sleep duration and sleep quality; three cover daytime mood, functioning and sleepiness. This page uses an English translation of the CareOps Korean version and asks about difficulties experienced at least three times a week during the past month.
Reading your results
The total ranges from 0 to 24, and the screen shows sleep at night and daytime functioning separately. The authors’ 2003 study proposed a total of 6 or higher as the screening threshold; the ranges above it match those reported in a 2020 study of adults in Japan. A few restless nights differ from sleep difficulty that continues for more than a month, so consider how long it has lasted and how it affects your days. If you snore heavily, stop breathing during sleep, feel very sleepy in the daytime, or the difficulty continues beyond a month, ask a clinician to look into the cause.
A question to reflect on
For one week, note roughly when you went to bed, fell asleep, woke during the night and got up. Add what you did while lying awake, plus naps, caffeine and alcohol. This makes it easier to see which conditions change from night to night.
Frequently asked questions
- How many questions are in the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), and how long does it take?
- There are 8 questions, and it usually takes about 2 minutes. Each question has its own set of choices; pick the one closest to you. There are no right or wrong answers.
- Does a score of 6 or more mean I have insomnia?
- A total of 6 is the screening threshold proposed in the authors’ 2003 study. Meeting it does not mean an insomnia diagnosis. Consider how long the difficulty has lasted and how it affects your days. The ranges above it match those reported in a 2020 study of adults in Japan.
- What time period should I answer about?
- Answer about difficulties you experienced at least three times a week during the past month. A few restless nights differ from sleep difficulty lasting more than a month, so think about the whole month rather than the last few days.
- When should I see a clinician?
- If you snore heavily or have been told you stop breathing in your sleep, feel very sleepy in the daytime, or the difficulty continues beyond a month, ask a clinician to look into the cause. If thoughts race as you try to sleep, practising ways to set them aside is a good place to start.
- Do I need to sign in? Are my answers saved?
- You can see your results right away without signing in. Your answers are used only for scoring and are not stored on our servers.
- Can I bring these results into a counseling session?
- Use the analysis button at the bottom of the result screen to have a short conversation with Maeumi without signing in. After the conversation, you can continue in the app. The web conversation does not transfer automatically to the app.
- Can I share my results with a friend?
- Yes. Use Share at the top right of the result screen to send a friend the check itself, or share your result as a link or story image. A result link carries your scores inside the address only; it does not include your name or account, and nothing is saved on our side.
Soldatos et al. (2000) · Athens Insomnia Scale development study