The WHO-5 Wellbeing Index is one of the most important tools in modern mental health and wellbeing research — and also one of the least known outside clinical settings. Developed by the World Health Organisation and validated across more than 30 languages and cultures, it takes under two minutes and gives you a reliable snapshot of your psychological wellbeing right now.
Here’s everything you need to know about taking it, reading your score, and deciding what to do next.
What the WHO-5 Measures
The WHO-5 doesn’t measure the absence of illness or symptoms of depression. It measures positive wellbeing — how well you’ve been functioning emotionally and psychologically in recent weeks. This makes it useful not just for identifying problems, but for tracking improvement and maintaining awareness of your baseline.
The five questions each address a distinct aspect of psychological wellbeing:
- Cheerfulness and positive mood
- Calmness and inner peace
- Energy and vitality
- Sleep quality (specifically feeling rested on waking)
- Engagement with daily life
How to Take the WHO-5
For each of the five questions, rate how often the statement applied to you over the past two weeks, using the following scale:
- 5 — All of the time
- 4 — Most of the time
- 3 — More than half of the time
- 2 — Less than half of the time
- 1 — Some of the time
- 0 — At no time
The five questions:
- I have felt cheerful and in good spirits.
- I have felt calm and relaxed.
- I have felt active and vigorous.
- I woke up feeling fresh and rested.
- My daily life has been filled with things that interest me.
Add your five scores together. This gives you a raw score out of 25. Multiply by 4 to convert to a percentage score out of 100.
Reading Your WHO-5 Score
Score 76–100: High wellbeing Your psychological wellbeing is strong right now. You’re consistently experiencing positive emotions, energy, calm, and interest in life. This is a good time to identify what’s working so you can protect it.
Score 51–75: Moderate wellbeing You have some positive wellbeing but something is dragging it down. Look at which specific question scored lowest — that’s where to focus. A score in this range often reflects manageable stress, disrupted sleep, or a period of low motivation rather than clinical concern.
Score 29–50: Low wellbeing This range indicates that you’re struggling in at least some areas of psychological functioning. It doesn’t mean there’s something clinically wrong, but it’s a signal worth taking seriously. Consider what’s changed recently, and speak to a GP or mental health professional if this persists.
Score 0–28: Very low wellbeing — possible depression The WHO recommends clinical assessment at this level. A score below 28 is used as a screening threshold for depression in clinical settings. This doesn’t mean you have depression — but it means the question should be asked by someone qualified to assess it. Please speak to a healthcare professional.
Why Specific Questions Matter
Even if your overall score is moderate, look at individual questions:
Question 4 (sleep) is particularly significant. Poor sleep degrades every other dimension of wellbeing — mood, energy, cognitive function, emotional regulation. If this question is consistently scoring 0 or 1, improving sleep is likely your highest-leverage intervention. See our guide on improving sleep quality.
Question 5 (interest in daily life) is a sensitive marker for anhedonia — loss of pleasure in activities you used to enjoy. A sustained low score here is one of the earlier warning signs of depression and worth discussing with a professional.
How Often Should You Take the WHO-5?
The WHO-5 is designed for repeated measurement. Monthly tracking gives you meaningful trend data without the noise of daily fluctuations. Some people find that seasonal patterns emerge (many people score lower in winter), which is valuable self-knowledge.
Set a recurring reminder for the same day each month. Track your scores in a simple spreadsheet or notebook.
Comparing Your Score Over Time
A drop of 10 or more points between monthly checks is worth paying attention to. Ask: What’s changed? New stressors? Changes in sleep, exercise, or social contact? A consistent downward trend across three or more months — even if each individual drop is small — is a clear signal to act.
Equally, a rising score tells you that whatever you’ve been doing is working. That’s motivating information.
What to Do After Taking the WHO-5
- Score above 75: Maintain what’s working. Take the test again in a month.
- Score 51–75: Identify the lowest-scoring item. Use our guides on daily wellbeing habits and the five dimensions of wellbeing to address it specifically.
- Score 29–50: Take the test again in two weeks. If it hasn’t improved, speak to a GP. Consider which life circumstances are most likely contributing.
- Score below 28: Speak to a healthcare professional soon. This isn’t something to manage alone with lifestyle changes.
The WHO-5 is a tool, not a verdict. What matters is what you do with the result.