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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is no sleep a reasonable excuse for calling in sick to work?

238 replies

Catermellor · 20/03/2026 05:36

Is ‘I haven’t slept at all’ a reasonable excuse for not going to work?

I really haven’t. I might have had two hours maybe 9-11 and then maybe dozed for half an hour between 4 and 430’but that’s it and that’s a generous guess. I feel all shaky and horrible and I just want to catch up on some sleep.

OP posts:
Avacadoandtoast · 20/03/2026 05:38

Is it because you are shaky / unwell that you haven’t slept?

TooTiredToBeCreative · 20/03/2026 05:39

I think the reason you’ve had no sleep is probably more relevant… are you unwell or is it anxiety? Although having said that, I think that just saying you are not well enough to come in is enough.
i hope you manage to rest and feel better.

BoxOfCats · 20/03/2026 05:41

Well, I think it depends on how much concentration is required for your job. Are you a brain surgeon? A waitress? Big difference…
Personally I’d just suck it up, but then I work in marketing and spend most of my life in meetings.

dizzydizzydizzy · 20/03/2026 05:43

I don’t think that would go down well. It depends on your job though.

Yerroblemom1923 · 20/03/2026 05:43

It's just one day. Get through it and have an early night tonight. You've the weekend to catch up.

Lomonald · 20/03/2026 05:44

Just phone in sick,say you have been up and down all night and you feel awful, which isn't lying.

I have had an awful night's sleep hence being here at 5.45 I am hoping for another hour but doubt it.

Ninerainbows · 20/03/2026 05:44

I have done it once when DS has his 1 year jabs and DH was away. He screamed and screamed until about 4am and woke me up again at 5 - I wasn't safe to drive. I had a very understanding boss though.

Shallwemarry · 20/03/2026 05:45

I think it's the bottom line outcome that counts here :

"sorry but I can't come in today, I feel shaky and horrible and haven't slept a wink, don't know if I'm coming down with something but I'm going back to bed to try to sleep it off and will hopefully feel a lot better by tomorrow"
Is what I would do!

Hope you Do feel better by tomorrow, op 🙏

KimberleyClark · 20/03/2026 05:46

Bear in mind that if you call in sick today it will count as three days sick leave, not one.

SkankingWombat · 20/03/2026 05:47

Is going in a bit later possible? I'm self-employed, so it's a bit different for me, but I have got DCs to school, come home for a decent nap and then headed to work a little later on the odd occasion it's happened to me. It's a horrible feeling being so sleep deprived but also a safety issue if you need to drive, or in my case, use equipment that could easily chop a body part off if I wasn't focused on what I was doing. A solid nap and a generous dose of caffeine is enough to limp me through and better than writing off a whole day.

Shallwemarry · 20/03/2026 05:47

KimberleyClark · 20/03/2026 05:46

Bear in mind that if you call in sick today it will count as three days sick leave, not one.

What?! 😵‍💫

Also editing to add I would personally only do this in my own job if I genuinely did feel like I was coming down with something, as I work customer facing and we are usually minimally staffed so any time taken off by me directly affects my colleagues and customers...

If I was just up all night with mind racing and hot flashes (thanks, menopause) it'd be lots of coffee and an early night tonight instead!

Lomonald · 20/03/2026 05:47

KimberleyClark · 20/03/2026 05:46

Bear in mind that if you call in sick today it will count as three days sick leave, not one.

Will it ?

superchick · 20/03/2026 05:50

KimberleyClark · 20/03/2026 05:46

Bear in mind that if you call in sick today it will count as three days sick leave, not one.

No it won't

KimberleyClark · 20/03/2026 05:50

Lomonald · 20/03/2026 05:47

Will it ?

Edited
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It did when I was working, to deter people from calling in sick on a Friday if they weren’t actually ill but just fancied a long weekend.

superchick · 20/03/2026 05:53

KimberleyClark · 20/03/2026 05:50

It did when I was working, to deter people from calling in sick on a Friday if they weren’t actually ill but just fancied a long weekend.

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I hope you raised this with your union? How on earth can taking one day off sick count as 3 on any planet.

I recognise the issue with taking Fridays and Mondays off sick in some workplaces but there are other ways to address that.

Mmmchocolatebuttons · 20/03/2026 05:53

KimberleyClark · 20/03/2026 05:50

It did when I was working, to deter people from calling in sick on a Friday if they weren’t actually ill but just fancied a long weekend.

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That is completely insane.

Shallwemarry · 20/03/2026 05:53

KimberleyClark · 20/03/2026 05:50

It did when I was working, to deter people from calling in sick on a Friday if they weren’t actually ill but just fancied a long weekend.

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That can't have been legal if you were only taking one day off??

Lomonald · 20/03/2026 05:54

KimberleyClark · 20/03/2026 05:50

It did when I was working, to deter people from calling in sick on a Friday if they weren’t actually ill but just fancied a long weekend.

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That was maybe just their policy I don't think that is universalyl a thing in the work place as pp said It probably wasn't legal.

Boots89 · 20/03/2026 05:55

Just say you've been unwell in the night.

Scotflyer · 20/03/2026 05:55

I would definitely phone in sick as lack of sleep is worse than having too much to drink. Advise your employers you have caught a bug oof some sort or you think that you have a viral infection.

ilovesooty · 20/03/2026 05:55

I think Friday and Monday absences are given extra weight in Bradford Factor calculations.

KimberleyClark · 20/03/2026 06:01

Lomonald · 20/03/2026 05:54

That was maybe just their policy I don't think that is universalyl a thing in the work place as pp said It probably wasn't legal.

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Well I know for sure that if you take a Friday and Monday off sick that counts as four days.

Rainbowchicken · 20/03/2026 06:06

As a person who frequently sleeps badly, no sleep feels terrible when it's time to get up, but by the time you've got up, had a shower, breakfast, coffee etc and got on with your day its really not that bad. So yes I would go in, especially as it's Friday.

superchick · 20/03/2026 06:07

KimberleyClark · 20/03/2026 06:01

Well I know for sure that if you take a Friday and Monday off sick that counts as four days.

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I can't speak for your employers but that's not standard practice

EdithBond · 20/03/2026 06:08

Yes, you can take time off sick if you haven’t slept and this will make you unfit to work.

All good employers would say to take time off if you’ve not slept. It’s likely to be the result of a health problem(e.g. anxiety) so make an appointment with your GP if it’s not the first occurrance.