19-item measure assessing sleep quality and disturbances over one month. ≈ 5 min to complete. Free with attribution.
PSQI (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) is a validated clinical instrument used to assess 19-item measure assessing sleep quality and disturbances over one month.. It is most often used for 19-item measure assessing sleep quality and disturbances over one month.. The instrument contains 7 items. Typical administration time is ≈ 5 min.
Source / attribution: Free to use with citation
19-item measure assessing sleep quality and disturbances over one month. PSQI is part of standard practice in this setting because it provides a structured, replicable assessment that can be tracked over time and compared across patients or visits.
Like all screening or assessment instruments, PSQI is a structured aid — not a diagnostic test in isolation. Results should be interpreted alongside history, examination, and clinical context. Where a score crosses an actionable threshold, the next step is typically a more detailed clinical evaluation rather than a definitive diagnosis.
Answer all 7 items below to see your PSQI score and interpretation.
Each item is scored on a 4-point scale (0–3). Your score updates live as you answer.
All scoring runs in your browser. No data is sent anywhere — close the tab and the answers are gone.
Seven component scores (0-3 each) summed for global score 0-21. Score > 5 indicates poor sleep quality.
Scoring notes: Seven component scores (0-3 each) summed for global score 0-21. Score > 5 indicates poor sleep quality.
The cutoffs below are drawn from the published validation literature. Always interpret in clinical context.
| Score range | Band | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5 | Good sleep quality | None |
| 6–21 | Poor sleep quality | Consider sleep intervention |
This is an illustrative walkthrough, not a real patient. Follow the same four steps with your own answers — or use the live calculator at the top of this page.
Read each question and choose the response that best fits. Each response has a number next to it — that number is the item's score. The example below uses illustrative answers.
| # | Item | Example response | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Subjective sleep quality | Fairly bad | 2 |
| 2 | Sleep latency (time to fall asleep) | 31-60 minutes | 2 |
| 3 | Sleep duration | 5-6 hours | 2 |
| 4 | Habitual sleep efficiency | 65-74% | 2 |
| 5 | Sleep disturbances | Once or twice a week | 2 |
| 6 | Use of sleeping medication | Once or twice a week | 2 |
| 7 | Daytime dysfunction | Somewhat of a problem | 2 |
Add up all the item scores you noted in Step 1.
2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 14
Find the row in the interpretation table whose range contains your total:
Total = 14 falls between 6 and 21 → Poor sleep quality
Poor sleep quality. Consider sleep intervention
A score is one input alongside history and examination. PSQI supports clinical judgment — it does not replace it.
Psychometric figures are drawn from the validation literature and may vary across clinical populations and translations.
If PSQI doesn't fit your context, related instruments in sleep include:
| Scale | Measures | Items | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISI | Brief screening measure for insomnia severity and outcomes. | 7 | ≈ 2 min |
| ESS | 8-item questionnaire measuring daytime sleepiness in everyday situations. | 8 | ≈ 2 min |
| AIS | 8-item scale based on ICD-10 insomnia criteria for clinical assessment. | 8 | ≈ 2 min |
| PHQ-9 | Severity of depression | 9 | ≈ 3 minutes |
| GAD-7 | Severity of generalized anxiety | 7 | ≈ 2 minutes |
| AUDIT | 10-item WHO screening tool for hazardous alcohol consumption and dependence. | 10 | ≈ 3 min |
| CHA2DS2-VASc | Annual stroke risk in non-valvular atrial fibrillation | 8 | — |
| Glasgow Coma Scale | Level of consciousness after head injury | 3 | — |
PSQI (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) is a validated instrument that assesses 19-item measure assessing sleep quality and disturbances over one month.. Its primary clinical use is 19-item measure assessing sleep quality and disturbances over one month..
PSQI typically takes ≈ 5 min to administer. Time can vary slightly depending on whether it is self-administered or clinician-led.
PSQI contains 7 items. Items are summed to produce a total score.
Scores of 6–21 fall in the "Poor sleep quality" band. Consider sleep intervention
Scores of 0–5 fall in the "Good sleep quality" band. None
PSQI has reported Cronbach's α of 0.83 in validation samples and test–retest reliability of 0.85. Widely validated; correlates with polysomnography.
PSQI is free to use with attribution. Free to use with citation
Buysse, D. J., Reynolds, C. F., Monk, T. H., Berman, S. R., & Kupfer, D. J. (1989). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Psychiatry Research, 28(2), 193-213.
No. PSQI is a structured assessment aid. A score is one input alongside history, examination, and clinical context. Treatment decisions should never rest on a screening score alone.
PSQI is supported by the following peer-reviewed sources: