'No sleep... This just feels like torture': Reddit post on overnight IT work culture sparks outrage 

A Reddit user’s raw account of extreme sleep deprivation in the name of corporate duty has struck a nerve online, with users rallying around the post to call out exploitative work conditions in the tech sector.

User AloofHorizon took to Reddit with a post titled, “As sleep deprivation is a well-documented form of torture, how does corporates justify making their employees work 24/7?” The user detailed an exhausting overnight shift spent monitoring finance programs, with no rest until noon the next day.

“Just pulled an all nighter, it was for program monitoring work where I just had to watch the screen for the whole night and inform IT people if any of our finance programs broke down,” the user wrote. “Then in the morning the people continued asking me to work till 12 pm... It literally broke me from inside.”

The emotional toll was clear. “I have had pulled all nighters in the past but that was due to travel, my personal work or some celebrations etc. But this time I completely feel broken from inside, knowing that I'll have to do this continuously for the coming 4 days and then once at the beginning of every month,” they added. “I don't know why but this just feels like torture to me.”

The post quickly drew support and criticism of toxic workplace culture, especially in countries with weaker labour protections.

One Redditor wrote, “Because you are from a 3rd world country, where nearly 50% of the population still depends on the government-aided food programs for 2 square meals a day... If not you there will be hundreds of other people ready to do their work.”

Others advised finding a way out. “Have you heard of other companies providing better work life balance? If yes, just find those companies and try to join there. It isn't worth it being abused like this... unless you have no other option.”

Some questioned the need for such outdated work practices in a digital industry. “Why don’t you tell your managers and the stupid IT folks to build automatic monitoring on these... how stupid is this to watch a screen, when we have all monitoring possible!!”

A few shared their own experiences and pushed for self-advocacy. “You should start questioning, ask for compensation,” one user said. “I had similar experience while I had lost my regular job during COVID... That is the only way companies would learn. If it’s too much, just leave.”