The MEQ is used to determine your morningness-eveningness or chronotype which influences our circadian rhythms. It’s regularly used with people with sleep disorders. We wanted to learn a little more from the man who helped us develop the new MEQ calculator, Tony Ho, MSW, RSW of Quadra Wellness and Counselling
Why did you decide to create a Calculator for the morningness-eveningness questionnaire?
I previously submitted the Insomnia Severity Index which was published. I use it regularly in my practice and the MEQ is another tool I use often. Having it on Calculate makes it easy to do a quick assessment for clients. I also wanted to help bolster the sleep medicine category of Calculate because it was sparse. The MEQ is a helpful tool to assess and understand a patient’s unique sleep rhythm.
For which patients or when do you typically use the questionnaire?
Patients with insomnia, but anyone looking to improve their sleep quality could benefit from knowing their degree of morningness-eveningness to better align their day with their sleep rhythm.
Do you typically just use the questionnaire with young people as indicated in the original study? Or more widely, as per the subsequent studies?
Widely — keeping in mind that sleep windows do change as people age. Teens tend to lean towards eveningness naturally due to hormonal changes and timing in the release of melatonin.
How do you integrate the tool into your regular practice? E.g. do you fill it out with patients or ask them to complete it in their own time?
I ask clients to complete these assessments prior to our first appointment, or we simply complete it during a session on my iPad using the Calculate app (so handy!).
When discussing the results with patients what do you focus on?
Improving sleep starts with understanding how sleep works. I use the MEQ to help clients understand their own unique needs when it comes to sleep. General sleep hygiene advice on it’s own is generally not helpful for people who experience insomnia, as it can contribute to excess effort and frustration oversleep.
Tony Ho, MSW, RSW
Registered Social Worker
Quadra Wellness and Counselling
