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Falling asleep in meetings

LegacyUser

Bear with me- it's an odd one.
I have this thing where I fall asleep really easily in meetings. I have a hard time sitting still in them as it is, but unless the topic is of massive interest to me, I can hardly stay awake.

I've just started a new job, which is a step up from my last one, and I am on probation. I should be acting very enthusiastic, but I can't help nodding off. It's really embarrassing.
I've tried going to bed earlier, coffee, taking notes, /pinching myself/pulling my hair, making sure I am wearing shirt sleeves so I am cold to try and stay alert but nothing is working. I'm not resorting to leaving the meeting to use the bathroom to try and wake myself up... but it's no use.

Some of the meetings are really small- with my boss right beside me.

I don't know what to do.

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joeguevara

Do you have issues falling asleep in other situations? If you are well rested then this doesnt sound normal. Could it be possible that stress triggers a mild form of narcolepsy?

I would go see a sleep therapist or something similar because it will effect your job. Or otherwise if it bores you then should you consider a job that interests you more?

johnml

Hi there.
I had a similar issue some years ago. I put it down to medication I was on at the time. It was making me drowsy. When I stopped taking it, things improved.

This may not be relevant to you. However, if you are taking meds, might be worth checking if they cause drowsiness.

Edit: Don't stop taking any medication without consulting your GP first

LegacyUser

Unfortunately, I'm not in a position to move until probation ends. There was no such issue in my previous role with nodding off but There was in the role before that (where I also found the work boring).I just find the work/topic really boring.
There are also a hell of a lot more meetings in this role.
I don't fall asleep in other situations, but in general, I do fall asleep easily.

Xterminator

Hi Op

This is a medical issue & a trip to your GP is in order.

are you a heavy snorer? you could have a condition like sleep apnea.

Dont ignore the symptoms, or try to address the symptoms. Get to the root of the issue.

seamus

I worked with a guy who fell asleep once or twice in meetings. But then we knew by his activity in work chats that he was the kind of guy who didn't go to bed till 1am and got up to get the train to work at 6am. And he had two kids. So he was wrecked.

As others say, this sounds more like a medical issue. Dropping off because you've sat down and you're bored is not normal. Granted, it can be trained into you - army personnel across the world report being able to fall asleep anywhere, anytime, at the drop of a hat. Because they've been trained to. But I'll assume that's not you.

While you are waiting for something concrete to come out from a doctor, it would be worth inventing a reason why you need to stand in meetings. I've had to do it in the past for a sore back, and while people find it a little bit odd, if you stand away from the desk (like at the wall or something) they don't feel uncomfortable. Standing at the least might stop you from nodding off.

blackbox

Stay off the coffee. I find it gives me a buzz for 30 mins after which I am exhausted.

More sleep should also help. Since I retired I no longer get sleepy during the day.

ManOfMystery

This has happened me before on occasion, though not in recent years. Asides from being embarrassing, it's also potentially something you could get into trouble at work over (or at least find your superiors having a stern word, particularly if clients are at the meeting) - so it needs addressed.

In my experience, I was going to bed too late and was simply tired. Once I adjusted my sleep patterns I was fine. If you're getting enough sleep but are still getting drowsy, you should speak to your Doctor to ensure there's no underlying medical condition like sleep apnea, etc.

In terms of what you can do in the short term, asides from the usual coffee suggestions I'd try the following :

- Stand up. It might sound strange but doing so immediately wakens most people up. I did it in a few meetings and stood at side of room, told them I had a sore back and needed to stretch occasionally. Even pretend you have to go to the toilet.
- Engage more - more talking and participation requires mental engagement, which usually snaps you out of drowsiness
- Fidget - I don't mean just drumming your fingers occasionally, but bring in a prop like a stress ball or similar. It helped me a lot.

silverharp

something to try which might help is not to eat sugar or carbs in the morning, maybe you are getting some kind of sugar crash, ditto for lunch. try something like an omelette for breakfast , no toast orange juice etc. , might make a difference.

as for your sleep quality, worth getting something like Sleep As Android on your phone, you can record your night's sleep and would be obvious if you were snoring excessively or had sleep Apnoea symptoms.

cbmonstra

Could you bring a bottle of cold water to the meetings with you to sip when you feel drowsy?

CalamariFritti

Thinking along the same lines. Are you eating right? Could you be dehydrated?

Dial Hard

As others have said, worth a trip to the doctor but in the meantime I'd have a quiet word with your boss and tell them that for the time being you'd like to stand in meetings.

If I had all my way all meetings would be standing ones anyway. People are a lot more to the point when they're not sitting comfily.

Persiancowboy

I'll hazard a guess that this could be simply down to boredom.....do you have any formal role at these meetings? Are you asked to take notes or indeed to speak/participate in them?

If your only role is to simply attend then it could be you are switching off and consequently nodding off....

woodchuck

There would be no harm talking to a doctor.

It could just be boredom, or tiredness, or a combination of both.

As mentioned above, are you actually participating in the meetings? I know if I'm in a long meeting/talk where I don't have to participate, I feel the head start to nod and the eyelids start to droop. Can you take a more active role in the meetings?

Corruptedmorals

It's worth a trip to the GP to assess some sort of pattern and blood tests to check there is no underlying reason. I know medical advice is forbidden etc. but I was diagnosed with underactive thyroid after a GP trip when I couldn't stay awake in lectures.

Plopsu

How's the ventilation in the rooms where the meetings are held? Does the time of day that the meeting is held at make any difference?

Mr. Incognito

Take notes to keep yourself engaged.

Stoner

SleepyZZhead wrote:

I don't know what to do.

Stay alert, get involved ask questions, force yourself to be interested in subjects that are not a direct concern for you.

This will work for many people. Plus you'll pick up on stuff, head off issues for you and you won't be the weak Target in the room ( there's usually one)

joeguevara

Found this which might be helpful.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321674.php

But if the above tips are to work you need to rule out a medical issue. Hope it helps.

AulWan

I had this exact same issue until I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I didn't fall asleep in the office but meetings like you describe was definitely one of the situations where I had issues with staying awake and I had virtually no control over it. It got so bad a friend used to sit beside me in meetings and discreetly nudge me if I started to doze. Once I got treatment (CPAP machine) my ability to stay alert improved massively.

DaeryssaOne

I used to have this exact problem OP, it was always meetings where I was too junior to speak and I would find myself unable to keep myself awake - pinching, swinging legs, stretching, drinking water, nothing worked really and it was mortifying when I would feel it start to come over me and know there was very little I could do to fight it. It used to happen in long college lectures too and it was a running joke among my classmates, very embarrassing!

I found for myself, I think it was almost exclusively down to diet - eating too many carbs was causing me to completely crash when I was just sitting there. I'm pretty sure smoking was also not helpful as my heartrate would decrease while I was sitting there after smoking right beforehand and that would cause me to drop off.

Just to add I did mention the problem to a doctor who's prognosis was that my job was boring and he wasn't wrong! :pac:

seamus

DaeryssaOne wrote: »

I found for myself, I think it was almost exclusively down to diet - eating too many carbs was causing me to completely crash when I was just sitting there. I'm pretty sure smoking was also not helpful as my heartrate would decrease while I was sitting there after smoking right beforehand and that would cause me to drop off.

This is actually a good point I don't think anyone mentioned already.

The "3pm slump" and "11am slump" are things that marketing people made up. They're not normal.

They're a result of eating a lunch or breakfast which is too laden in simple sugars.
After eating these, your insulin spikes, which causes a sudden drop in blood sugar and feelings of lethargy, which can take a couple of hours to return to normal.

Naturally since most meetings are scheduled around these times, you might find a correlation there. It's worth looking at OP.

jamesbondings

Plopsu wrote: »

How's the ventilation in the rooms where the meetings are held? Does the time of day that the meeting is held at make any difference?

I fell asleep in an internal training on manual handling (boring topic non the less)..... It was due to the stifling heat and even with the windows open.... 20 people in a small room - I lasted 15 minutes before I dozed off. I was woken twice by one of my colleagues.

The embarrassing thing for the host of the training course was that I still passed the "exam". Heat, carbs, sleep (lack of) the things that make me sleepy. If it was me I'd look to fix them first.

LegacyUser

Thanks everyone. Some really good suggestions there.
- I am a snorer so am going to get that checked out
- I don't drink coffee but I do eat a fair bit of sugar so will try and change that.
- I am taking notes, drinking water and fidgeting but it doesn't seem to help.

It has happened again twice and I'm wondering if it psychosomatic.

1. I was in a discussion with a colleague who was telling me/ training me on a case file. I was perfectly alert beforehand and anticipating what he had to say. He sat st my desk and started talking. First few minutes were grand and then I could feel myself drifting. I was writing notes and my pen kept slipping down the page. I tried water and deep breaths but it didn't work.
When he finished talking after about 20 mins or so, after a few mins I was grand again.

2. In a handover of a file with my new boss and a colleague. I was alert and a bit nervous going in. Sat down and first 15 mins were ok. Then it started and pinching worked but only because I knew we were going to wrap up shortly.

AulWan

Definitely make an appointment with your GP and ask for a referral for a sleep study. From what you've described, I'd be amazed if you don't have sleep apnea. Best of luck.

BBFAN

It's all well and good recommending that OP go to their GP but I've been waiting 3 years now for an appointment at a sleep clinic so that's not a quick solution.

I often find myself nodding off when I'm not mentally stimulated and that includes meetings and long tedious drives. It has proven dangerous during driving so now I just have to avoid long drives.

Luckily the job I'm in now involves very few meetings.

I think the standing up suggestion is a fantastic one, that will definitely work.

AulWan

Maybe the OP is in the position where they can arrange a sleep study privately, there are several places in the country that she can go for this.

Going to her GP is a start.

BattleCorp

A good friend of mine kept falling asleep in college. Every class, without fail.

He went off and got medical treatment. He was diagnosed with sleep apnea.

He uses the machine at night and he's fine now.

Go get yourself tested.

caff

SleepyZZhead wrote: »

Bear with me- it's an odd one.
I have this thing where I fall asleep really easily in meetings. I have a hard time sitting still in them as it is, but unless the topic is of massive interest to me, I can hardly stay awake.

I've just started a new job, which is a step up from my last one, and I am on probation. I should be acting very enthusiastic, but I can't help nodding off. It's really embarrassing.
I've tried going to bed earlier, coffee, taking notes, /pinching myself/pulling my hair, making sure I am wearing shirt sleeves so I am cold to try and stay alert but nothing is working. I'm not resorting to leaving the meeting to use the bathroom to try and wake myself up... but it's no use.

Some of the meetings are really small- with my boss right beside me.

I don't know what to do.

Have similar I bring a glass of cold water and a notepad, take note about everything during the meeting to concentrate and sip on the ice cold water to stay alert.

con___manx1

Red bull is good for keeping people from falling asleep. I hate the stuff myself but i used it while driving long distance. It did the trick.

padser

seamus wrote: »

The "3pm slump" and "11am slump" are things that marketing people made up.........They're a result of eating a lunch or breakfast which is too laden in simple sugars.

I'm so confused.

Did marketing people make them up or are they a result of diet?

Or did marketing people make up that they are a result of diet....