Have you ever called in sick for lack of sleep?

[MinnieMountain]

I’m seriously considering it. I went to bed at my usual time of 10pm but was still awake at 12:30 and woke up at 4:30.

I have. Not after just one night of 4h sleep, but I'd had a bad run of insomnia, and just couldn't cope with driving in. I am now much better at managing insomnia, plus I would probably work from home rather than just not go in, but if you really are too exhausted to function and it's not something you've made a habit of, then I'd definitely be thinking about it.

If its peri you should go an see your GP. I had horrible insomnia and HRT made it stop. It was life changing. HRT taken early in the menopause is hugely beneficial.

Just once. I really couldn't function. I did get someone to cover for me though.

4 hrs is a good night for me! But we’re all wired differently - I know my sister would find that incredibly tough as she’s usually an 8hr a night person. If you feel dreadful, don’t go in. You know best whether you can manage it or not.

Absolutely not. I’ve been working with a serious health condition for 12yrs. Some nights I’d been up in agony all night and didn’t call in sick.

Yes but only when after two nights of no sleep. Four hours of sleep isn’t great and you feel shit but you just need to push through.

I often do 12 hour days on 4 hours broken sleep.
I did call in once when I hadn't slept for 48 hours

I agree with this, but then there's always a suffering contest on Mumsnet.

Sorry you have been seriously ill op.

Not unless your cancer treatment is still having a negative impact on you. If this is purely about menopausal related lack of sleep then I would drink coffee, have a bracing shower and carry on. It's all about mindset. If the insomnia continues though, you obviously need to see someone about it.

Yes, a couple of times. I've said I'm ill though.

Whenever I go in dead tired I make so many mistakes it's a waste of my time being there. I have to undo them all the day after.

Can't you work from home OP?

People have different sleep requirements. I would struggle on 4 hours and would consider calling in sick or asking to work from home that day, unless I had been sleeping exceptionally well prior to that and there was no cumulative sleep debt. I also have difficulty driving on that little sleep and would be worried about falling asleep at the wheel whilst driving in (this has happened before, luckily while I was stopped at a red light - I was woken by the driver behind honking their horn because the light had turned green - so it's not an unfounded fear).
Will you be able to focus well enough to carry out your job adequately?

I did once, when I hadn't slept at all, all night and didn't feel I was safe to drive. I wouldn't call in sick for only having four hours sleep though, in that situation, plenty of coffee, plenty of fresh air and an early night is the best thing. Resting all day will just muck up your sleep pattern for the following night.

I went in, and got sent home. But that was more sure to other symptoms the lack of sleep caused.

Yes, once when I had not slept between nightshifts. I was more worried about driving the 50 miles to work safely, there and back. But I frequently only manage 4 hours and still manage to get into work.

I'm staggered people are entertaining this. I used to work shifts and do a safety critical role - on early shifts I never got more than 2-3 hours a night and went in on zero sleep a few times just because my body wouldn't co-operate. If everyone called in sick from too little sleep there'd never be any trains running early morning! I'm sorry to tell you all that plenty of pilots, surgeons and other jobs that have been suggested are regularly operating on 4 hours sleep or less. It's a large part of why shift work is so bad to do long term (and why I eventually left).

I did, yes. Years prior to that I had had a really awful experience where I didn’t get any sleep at all and turned up to uni and fell asleep during classes. It was so torturous I swore to never do that again.

Agreed.

I have once cancelled a long commute into an office (3 hours there and back = 6 hours total) because I'd only had 4 hours sleep and felt unsafe to drive.

But I wouldn't call in sick for 4 hours - I'd just push through then have an early night.

Work 12-14hr shifts as a Paramedic. What's sleep?!! 😂

To add: ime the early morning is the worst. By the time I've got up, had a shower and a coffee and got started on the day, the tiredness lessens (at least until the afternoon!)

Yes but I’ve got chronic fatigue. 4 or 5 hours would leave me so tired I couldn’t see straight and my limbs so stiff I could barely move. If you don’t feel well enough to work, then you don’t feel well enough. That’s what sick days are for. Could you work from home/bed?

I have once or twice but I would only do it when it's really necessary and you feel like you physically can't go.

No

I think the 4 hours haven't been enough because of peri menopause, whereas you may have managed to function on 4 hours before.

Just take the day off or wfh and sleep an hour at lunch. I'm the only person in my role and when I'm off, I pick up all my own work when I return, so I wouldn't feel guilty. If it affected others, I'd wfh and just take it easy but get the main things out the way.