An air cargo Dispatcher reported falling asleep during the night shift. A continuously changing work schedule was cited as a contributing factor.

Narrative

I was working the night shift by myself on the night in question. I had no flights in the air or ready to depart. I had flight planned and sent out crew paperwork for a flight which would depart shortly before the end of the shift. My last flight had landed and closed out two hours prior to this event. I was experiencing lower back pain and had a pillow behind to provide support. It was cold in the office; so I had wrapped up in a community use blanket. In an effort to lessen my back pain I lay down on the floor and put my head on the pillow. I was there about fifteen to twenty minutes; at the time not realizing I had fallen asleep. The phone rang; I got up and answered it; and remained at my desk for the rest of my shift; awake. A manager from another department had come into the office with one of his children while I was on the floor. He said nothing to me. I did not know I was 'caught' sleeping. It was not intended nor is it a regular occurrence. Evidently; after I started a vacation out west; the company was trying to contact me. The company would not tell me why I needed to come to a hearing this morning. I found out during the hearing that it was because I fell asleep. I was not previously given a verbal or written warning about this.I think that the Dispatch department is not staffed adequately. We work day shift and night shift in the same week. Managing sleep is a constant battle. Changing sleep hours by seven hours every three and one half days is physically and mentally debilitating. It cannot be done without our mental abilities and our physical health being affected; as has already happened in my case. There was no safety issue regarding this particular event; but I believe the company has compromised safety in general by having dispatchers on duty who are too fatigued to remain alert.