The house is quiet, but the clock keeps moving. I know sleeplessness can carry serious health consequences. I’ve seen it wear someone down, and I’ve felt how a short night changes my patience, clarity, and resilience the next day. And it isn’t rare—across ages, sleep trouble keeps showing up near the surface, right alongside loneliness and the desire to feel connected.

What shortens the time we have to sleep? Once I’m awake, my mind starts naming reasons. Work is one culprit. I’ve worked through the night—twenty-four hours at times—to meet a deadline. Illness is another. When I was in the hospital with pneumonia, my wife certainly didn’t sleep well or long. Caregivers often trade sleep for care. And we all know seasons have an effect—women and younger adults often feel it more sharply, and teenagers rarely get the sleep they need.

I think it is hard to pin down the definition of sleeplessness. Have you felt the fatigue caused by too little sleep? If I get less than six hours, I am dead tired. Then, sometimes I have a hard time getting to sleep—my mind won’t turn off because of concerns or a project. And what about the times we get enough hours of sleep but still aren’t refreshed? None of these point to one definitive cause.

As I reflect on the stages of my life, sleeplessness has varied. My early adolescence was different than most teens today. We lived on a farm, so mornings started early. After we moved to town, I worked some mornings unloading the A & P grocery truck at 5:00 a.m. I didn’t have the allure of the digital screens teens have today. During my professional career and while raising a family, the pressures of work schedules, travel, and kids’ schedules always intruded on sleep. Now, in the winter of my life, I’m more likely to be awakened for a “necessary” trip—or by silent acid reflux. The changing landscape of life changes who is affected, and when.

As I’ve grown older, I didn’t notice much difference in energy, initiative, or fatigue for a long time. Around age 78, that started changing, and at 84 I think another change has come. I’ve never had much patience for irritation, laziness, or thoughtless behavior, and lack of sleep makes that worse unless I deliberately control it. And I’m not alone—lack of sleep affects most of us in the same ways: more impatience, more irritability, and more difficulty initiating and accomplishing tasks, even the ordinary ones.

As humans, sleeplessness in some form is not new. Remember the time Jesus was so fatigued that He fell asleep during the storm? The disciples also couldn’t even stay awake when Christ requested it in the Garden of Gethsemane, right before His trial and crucifixion. Paul the apostle talks about “sleepless” nights along with being hungry, thirsty, cold, and exposed in ministry. Not only is lack of sleep a common experience, it is sometimes demanded by the responsibilities we have.

The question I should ask myself is this: What is my sleeplessness trying to tell me? Is it telling me something I should do about my relationships—or about the responsibilities I take on? Is it telling me I should reprioritize my time? Or is it signaling a compelling health issue I should address? And we don’t have to guess—poor sleep can set off real health problems and even affect public safety.

The next question I have is this:   What are the best strategies and procedures to cope with sleeplessness? Some coping mechanisms might address the wrong things, and some might even be detrimental. What is a wise response—both practically and spiritually.  My next Commentary will take on these questions.