Would you get signed off for insomnia?

[Allthewayinbatterycity]

I know there are piss takers who call in sick every Monday with a hangover but I'm not nor have done anything like that.

I am in a role I'm very stressed in and fortunately only have a couple of weeks left. I'm part of a large 'training cohort' and a couple of people have resigned already.

We're not given adequate time to complete the work in and doing unpaid overtime for 29k a year isn't really fair. We've spoken to our manager and she told us to go to senior management with complaints.

I've forgotten what a decent night's sleep looks like. I spend my days there in a trance, come home at night and nap which I know I'm fortunate to be able to do as no children etc. And then just dread the next day. I've tried sleeping tablets but they haven't worked sadly.
I try mindfulness, exercise etc. Which helps me to some extent but ultimately it's not going to make such a stressful role any better unfortunately.

I've never really had any sick leave except the occasional day over the last 17 years tbh. Wondering about taking some sick leave as it'll just allow me to recharge and recover. Once I've left this awful job which should hopefully be in a couple of weeks, my anxiety will significantly improve I imagine.
But until then I can't cope with this anymore.

They are literally taking away 2 days this week with all day meetings, we've said it'll not give us time to do the work we're meant to do and we're told we've got to just make it work somehow. Allowed limited time off this year.
I feel trapped but I've been told I need to just get over it and shouldn't be taking sick leave. It's not the sort of job where anyone would struggle if I'm not in or would have a lot more work to do, don't know how to explain it but it's not like that.

At this point I'm not even caring if it looks bad on a reference. If that's the world we live in where people are scared of being off sick, and I definitely am. What would you do? I know I'll be out in a few weeks but don't know if I can do it.

I'm struggling with it at the moment. Barely slept a wink last night and have a rotten headache. I'd take the time off because I have no idea how I'm going to focus, but already have had a day off last week for the same reason. Perhaps try to get away with doing bare minimum.

Since you only have 2weeks left, I'd do it. Take the sick time. Not being able to sleep is no bloody joke.

I've looked at our company's reference policy and it seems they do not include sick days information as standard.
I'm sorry to hear you're struggling too and hope things improve.

@Allthewayinbatterycity sit down and work out how many extra hours of work you're doing unpaid per week/month/year and add that to your contracted hours and then divide your salary by the total number of hours actually worked if it comes out as less than NMW then there breaking the law and you have a very strong case for either a payrise or less unpaid overtime
Edited for typos

Thanks for your reply. It's hard to say as it varies, sometimes there won't be then other times there'll be a lot. It's not even them telling us we have to its just that I don't see another option. We have weekly e learning we have to do but you can't just skip through it as they constantly check and make you redo it if you do any of it too quickly :(

I just look at the PC screen and freeze. I don't know why but it sends me into a panic and I feel like I cannot manage basic tasks anymore, they're hardly getting a lot of productivity out of me when I'm permanently sleep deprived.

I know exactly what you mean Op. Some jobs are poorly designed - and management rely on people being desperate to work. Poor management will lead to high turnover, and the poor managers will blame it on natural attrition due to the “high standards” of the training phase. The job and the management won’t improve.

Its great you recognised this early and have taken the right steps to help yourself.

Of course people “can” take time off sick. If people are sick during training it might mean they fail probation/training overall and lose their job but since you are leaving it doesn’t matter.

Your company may have some kind of sickness policy - ask HR for a copy, or ask a colleague. If not you can just assume your sick pay will be the statutory minimum.

Don’t overthink it. Take a day or two of sick leave and recover a bit, good luck.

Thank you.
They aren't yet aware I'm leaving, but once I have the 'official' job offer and start date I will. Fortunately I've passed probation but I've been told my training could be extended by a further few months if I don't meet the required standard. However as you say since I'm leaving, hopefully it won't matter.

OP I would take sick time. If you're sleep deprived and fatigued you're no good to anyone, least of all yourself. If you drive to work I would argue that in your current state you would be a danger to yourself and other road users. You owe it to yourself and your mental health to take the time, you've certainly earned it with all the unpaid overtime!

Don't forget when you do leave to give them feedback on their failings. Your manager deserves to sit through an uncomfortable exit interview and to hear some home truths.

When you say 'I come from work and nap', do you mean you have a sleep then get up again?

Yeah, I'm too tired most evenings so I tend to sleep and then just make tea, look after my cat, clean and watch a bit of tv. Last night I slept after work for 1 hour 45

Thank you, I will definitely provide feedback, apparently people have complained about this course in the past but feedback is just ignored.

What is your training for? Have you already got the qualification? If not, can you stick it out for another fortnight to get that? Even if it's not directly relevant for your future roles, I would always question why someone left a role which leads to a qualification and doesn't have that qualification.

That's possibly your problem then. If you research sleep, it will always tell you to get into a regular pattern. You're far more likely to get a better night's sleep if you power through until bedtime. Go to bed at the same time every night, (including weekends) never nap and never read/watch TV in bed so that your body associates being in bed with sleep.

That is why your night time sleep is disturbed. Take a couple of days sick.

It doesn't lead to any qualification whatsoever sadly, it's just to become trained to do this role.

I will try and stop the naps after work, I just feel so wrecked that I don't feel like making food and can't focus on watching TV even. But I will try to stop them..wondering how much time I'd need off, worried that a day or two won't make much difference.

I'd talk to the doctor - if they think you should be signed off then you probably should be signed off. If not, just try to focus on the fact that it will soon be over.

Thank you, I should do. My DBS is stuck at stage 2 which is annoying as it should be a straightforward one but not much I can do..

Yes take sick leave. If you don’t, once you leave, you will be broken and left to pick up the pieces and they won’t be giving you a second thought. Will you be well enough to even take on your new role if you don’t put yourself first now? The world thrives on making ppl feel like they have to overwork to be enough. For 29k a year? No chance.

Thank you. Just trying to get the courage to do it.. if I get a sick note, would I still be obliged to ring my manager every day during my sick leave? I guess it will depend on policy etc. But hoping not

It’s hard to do but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. No, the dr will sign you off for a defined period eg 1 or 2 weeks. When that period is nearing its end, you would review with GP to discuss how you are, if it needs extending or if you could return to work. You then update employer.

Really bad insomnia is debilitating, so there's no reason why you shouldn't be signed off with a doctor's note if the doctor feels that's appropriate.

Take some time off. You are describing symptoms of burnout.

Thank you. I feel like I'm being dramatic, but we have about 20 hours of e learning on week and all day zoom training sessions that we're meant to make endless notes on.
I'm just staring at it and nothing is going in. I will speak to a GP today.