AIBU to take the day off work because I've got no sleep at all?

[turkeyburgers]

I've been up all night with crap sleep. Would feel guilty for taking a sick day. AIBU to take it or call work and sleep a bit longer?

As others have said, it depends.

I have, in very rare circumstances. That being said, I have M.E (used to be known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and an on-going B12 deficiency (I am receiving injections for) so I am constantly struggling with exhaustion and tiredness to a severe degree, even on a good nights sleep. If I haven't slept, I cannot function and literally struggle to form a coherent sentence. The resulting brain fog would also mean I can't mentally function and would make silly mistakes. I would also become sicker over the following days if I didn't rest in such a situ and have what's known as a 'flare up' of a range of unpleasant symptoms. Lack of sleep is pretty bad. All this being said, I opt for taking annual leave for times like this where ever possible first. I am lucky that most of the time, I can take this at pretty short notice, as can other staff.

So it depends. Can you take annual leave at short notice? It depends how badly it would effect your functioning. It would depend whether it leaves other staff in a pickle or not for that day. It depends on your sick record. If you very rarely have time off, feel genuinely awful, and your team wouldn't be hard done by, then I would say do it, as a one off. Rest and be on your game tomorrow.

I had this last week. Didn't want to phone in so started late, took it easy and had a snooze on my lunch break. Just about powered through!

Hopefully today isn't too onerous.

I suffer from insomnia and do go to work and do long shifts on very little sleep sometimes . But I’ve had practice. It’s surprising how you can deal with it. I wouldn’t be off sick as I’d be off work regularly.

I do lots of things to try and help: exercise, warm Bath, supplements, yoga, fresh air, mindfulness/mediation. But sometimes it’s just my brain that won’t shut up!

For me, the answer is... sometimes. I have frequent insomnia and a lot of the time I can sort of "reset" by exposing myself to daylight, fresh air and coffee and just keeping busy.

Other times the insomnia turns into a migraine and then I can't work.

@Crakeandoryx

Not for one day of no sleep. Just get showered and get on with it. Go to bed as soon as you get home.

I regularly work on little to no sleep. It's awful but has to be done.

^^This...

..and I hate to break it to people but even if you work even in many of the "safety critical industries" which may well have regulations covering fatigue you can still end up working whilst very short of sleep..you have to develop a coping strategy

It is assumed by the regulators of those industries and those that employ you that if you've had the opportunity to rest that you have successfully rested...

My employer allows us to have "duvet days" for exactly this sort of thing, although I suspect that if someone started having too many of them, something would be said.

But then I work in not-for-profit, where the money is shit but the culture is supportive and compassionate.

I wouldn’t, but i work for myself and can’t afford to not work. Neither would I want to let clients down at such short notice.

I wouldn't. I often have trouble sleeping, if I called in sick each time, my sickness rate would be appalling.

@turkeyburgers

I've been up all night with crap sleep. Would feel guilty for taking a sick day. AIBU to take it or call work and sleep a bit longer?

Depends on your sick record. If you have a good record, take the day and stay in bed and don't feel guilty about it at all.

We all need a duvet day once in a while :-)

I've don't it once, a shop alarm was ringing all night. My boss was very understanding.

In my extensive experience you won’t feel awful today, you’ll feel awful tomorrow. BUT I would also aim to go to bed as early as possible this evening to counteract that.

@Smallsteps88

In my extensive experience you won’t feel awful today, you’ll feel awful tomorrow. BUT I would also aim to go to bed as early as possible this evening to counteract that.

I agree with this. Works in reverse too. When I get a good night's sleep (which is rare) I feel terrible the next day then great the day after that!

As well as adding a "don't do it" to the PP, may I ask we all share advice or techniques for trying to sleep?

Here's mine, I read about the Canadian Army adding 1 hour's extra sleep into their battlefield training, and they practice this:

1. Relax the muscles in your face, including tongue, jaw and the muscles around the eyes (I massage my face with a lavender-based cream.
2. Drop your shoulders as far down as they’ll go, followed by your upper and lower arm, one side at a time (I do this by 'walking' my arms and legs down the bed)
3. Practice controlled deep breathing and conscious relaxing of your muscles.
4. You say “don’t think, don’t think, don’t think” to yourself over and over for about 10 seconds ( I was dubious about this but it seems to work for me at least)

I know this may not work for many, but please share other experiences as insomnia is awful.

For less than say 4 hours I would ring in. I have done before. Or you could say you're not feeling well but you could go in if you manage to get a bit more sleep? Personally if I've had a crap nights sleep, all the lying around in bed the next day doesn't help, I still can't sleep!

I ask we all share advice or techniques for trying to sleep?

Stay away from screens (including TV), going onto SM at 4 AM, even if just to ask for advice, may not be helpful..try reading a book.

Hide the darned clock(s)...put under the bed, behind a chair, in a suitcase ...staring at them doesn't help.

If you really can't sleep then if able shift location..bed in another room, an armchair, etc..but again no screens.

..and personally if I'd had a "bad" night prior to a working shift (and I had a few) then finally, as part of the coping mechanism I'd always try to kid myself that I must have actually, in reality, have got some sleep for a few minutes between every waking moment. I could therefore claim to myself that I'd actually clocked up sufficient Zzzzz's without knowing it.

I probably wouldn’t, but I work in a very intense job where missing a day will mean you’re much more stressed the next day. But I do regret at my old job I didn’t use sick leave more, I only took half a day in four years and now I look back at what a crap and easy job it was I wish I’d taken a couple of days off every time I had a cold, for example. So it depends a lot on your job and how much time off you’ve had otherwise as well.

It also depends whether you're driving or not. I changed jobs so I could walk in on very little sleep, DD didn't sleep until she was 9.

I'm surprised you're being advised to go in when the majority of mumsnet seems to think calling in with a runny nose is acceptable these days.

In terms of tips, I had insomnia when I had depression about 7 years ago, I’d fall asleep fine then wake up wide awake at 2-3am and not be able to sleep until morning. I made sure I didn’t look at the clock, and got up to read a book if I was still awake after an hour or so, although I generally tried to stay in bed in case I was sleeping more than I thought. I know if it’s a persistent problem the advice is to actually go to bed really really late then gradually move your bedtime back earlier, but I could never bring myself to do this. Eg if you think every night you only get 3 hours sleep, start going to bed at 3am for a week, then move it back to 230 am the next week. This is supposed to reset your sleep habits. I couldn’t do it though!

Worked today and was okay (knackered up until about 1pm, and with lots of tea and coffee lol!)- got dinner ready and a book. Planning for a 9pm bedtime haha. My sympathy to you all and hope everyone gets a better night's sleep tonight!

Just revisiting this; I have been trying magnesium cream for a fortnight and it may be a placebo but I am sure I am sleeping better.