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TOOLS · SCREENER
Berlin questionnaire: a three-category sleep apnea check
The Berlin questionnaire looks at three things: snoring and breathing pauses, daytime tiredness, and high blood pressure or a BMI over 30. Two or more positive categories means high risk for sleep apnea.
Published scoring · Netzer et al., Annals of Internal Medicine 1999
- About 1 minute
- Free, no sign-up
- Counts toward your Sleep Check-up
Sleep Check-up
0 of 6 checks done
Finish this one to reach 1 of 6.
- NoSAS (not started)
- STOP-Bang (not started)
- Berlin (next)
- Epworth (not started)
- Insomnia (not started)
- NOSE (not started)
Take the Berlin questionnaire: 10 questions in three categories — snoring, daytime sleepiness, blood pressure or BMI — to screen your sleep apnea risk.
What your result looks like
A sample result. Yours appears here the moment you finish, with what it means and what to do next. Every possible result is listed beside it.
High risk
3/3
03
High risk: {n} of 3 categories positive.
Your answers meet the published high-risk rule. Only a sleep study can confirm it.
- Learn what a sleep study measures
- Cross-check with STOP-Bang
0–1Low risk
Low risk: {n} of 3 categories positive.
2–3High risk
High risk: {n} of 3 categories positive.
Milestone addedBerlin done · 4 of 6 checks
Saved to your account. We'll remind you to retake in 180 days.
What this tool does
Berlin was developed in primary care to find patients to refer for a sleep study. It combines symptoms with two risk factors and suits adults who have not been diagnosed.
It cannot diagnose sleep apnea, grade its severity, or judge your CPAP.
How the quiz decides
| Category | What counts | Positive when |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Snoring and pauses | Snoring; louder than talking; 3–4+ times a week; bothers others (1 each). Pauses seen 3–4+ times a week (2) | 2 points or more |
| 2. Daytime sleepiness | Tired after sleep 3–4+ times a week; tired by day 3–4+ times a week; ever nodded off driving (1 each) | 2 points or more |
| 3. Blood pressure or weight | High blood pressure, or BMI over 30 | Either is true |
| Overall | High risk: 2+ positive categories |
Reading your result
Low risk (0–1 positive). Mention any single positive category to a clinician.
High risk (2–3 positive). You meet the rule used to flag likely sleep apnea. Ask about a sleep study.
Snoring, sleepiness and what CPAP data shows
If a sleep study leads to CPAP, Berlin's symptoms become things you can follow. Your dashboard shows residual AHI and event mix each night, and the Epworth interpreter tracks sleepiness. Blood pressure stays with your clinician; Apnealytics shows resting heart rate from Apple Health or Health Connect, not blood pressure.
Sources
- Netzer NC, Stoohs RA, Netzer CM, Clark K, Strohl KP. Using the Berlin Questionnaire to identify patients at risk for the sleep apnea syndrome. Annals of Internal Medicine, 1999.
FAQ
How is the Berlin questionnaire scored?
Answers fall into three categories: snoring and observed pauses (positive at 2 points), daytime tiredness and drowsy driving (positive at 2 points), and high blood pressure or a BMI over 30. Two or more positive categories means high risk. "Don't know" counts as no.
What does "high risk" on the Berlin questionnaire mean?
It means your answers matched the pattern the original study linked to sleep apnea in a primary-care population. It is a reason to ask your clinician about a sleep study, not a diagnosis. Some high-risk people turn out not to have significant apnea, and some low-risk people do.
Do I need to snore to be at high risk?
No. Category 1 can still be positive from observed breathing pauses alone, and categories 2 and 3 do not involve snoring. Frequent daytime tiredness plus high blood pressure meets the high-risk rule with no snoring at all, so non-snorers should still answer every question.
Why does the Berlin questionnaire ask about blood pressure?
High blood pressure and obstructive sleep apnea often occur together, and repeated breathing pauses are thought to contribute to it. Including it, with BMI, helps catch people whose risk factors are clear even when their symptoms are mild or unnoticed.
Is the Berlin questionnaire or STOP-Bang better?
They overlap heavily, and studies in different populations disagree. Berlin is longer and asks about frequency; STOP-Bang is shorter and adds age, neck size and sex. Taking both, plus NoSAS, gives your clinician more to go on, which is why all three sit in the Sleep Check-up.
Diagnosed and on CPAP? See if it's working.
Apnealytics reads your machine's SD card and shows residual AHI, leak and usage every night. Your first 30 nights are free.
Screening tool, not a diagnosis. A result here cannot tell you whether you have sleep apnea, insomnia or any other condition — only a licensed clinician can diagnose. If you are very sleepy during the day or have dozed while driving, see a doctor promptly.
