While questionnaires are common ways to screen patients suspected of having sleep apnea, the “gold standard” of diagnosis by nocturnal polysomnography is not easily available in many clinical settings. This is particularly true outside of Europe and North America. Even in the latter, there are long waiting lists for assessment and the costs of polysomnography are high. In this study, we created a new screening test based on a simple physical examination that we called the Douglass gagging test (DGT). It involved the clinician pressing lightly on a seated patient’s anterior neck above the thyroid cartilage while the patient inspired deeply. Airway breath sounds were rated on a five-point scale. Using this scale with a series of 224 consecutive patients referred to an urban sleep disorders center, we successfully predicted the severity of the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) as measured by polysomnography. Using multivariate Poisson regression, the DGT was then compared to the ability of other rating scales that are based on physical examination to predict AHI: the Friedman tonsil size scale (rated 0 – 4), and the modified Mallampati scale (classes 1 – 4) which assesses visibility of the soft palate. Other predictors included sex, age, Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), and body mass index (BMI). The regression coefficients showed strong prediction of AHI by the DGT and weaker prediction by age, sex, and BMI. There was non-significant prediction by the Friedman and Mallampati scales. In conclusion, this simple test, which requires only 30 s to perform, constitutes a viable clinical screening tool for sleep apnea. It might be particularly useful in rural or underdeveloped areas where complex diagnostic equipment such as the polysomnogram is not easily available. Further investigation of the DGT in larger samples and different populations is warranted.