It was an early morning, and I found myself entering the room of yet another critical patient. A frail figure lay motionless on the bed, connected to a ventilator. The severity of his condition rendered sedatives unnecessary. As a second-year resident, my role was clear: manage the paperwork and prepare for the day ahead. Rounds would begin soon, and I had already been awake for over 24 hours. My body ached, and my mind felt heavy with exhaustion. This was not the first time I had faced such a scenario during my grueling training.

A Wake-Up Call for Physicians: Prioritizing Rest to Preserve Compassion

A woman sat beside the patient, her shoulders slumped in despair. Her pleading eyes met mine as she whispered, "Please save him; he’s all I have." In that moment, a wave of fatigue washed over me, and I silently wished this wouldn’t drag on forever. Shame quickly followed, as I realized how far I had strayed from the core values of medicine. If compassion is the heart of healthcare, then I felt like I was running on empty.

The Weight of Exhaustion

The scene before me brought back memories of when I was a medical student, sitting by my mother’s hospital bed. She had suffered a hemorrhagic stroke, and I was lost in a sea of medical jargon and uncertainty. The resident who cared for her seemed distant, his words feeling more like a recitation than genuine communication. His exhaustion was palpable, and it left me questioning why he couldn’t offer more empathy or take the time to explain things clearly. Little did I know that one day, I would find myself in his shoes.Physicians aren’t burning out; they are suffering from moral injury. The relentless demands of the profession can erode even the most dedicated doctor’s ability to connect with patients. When we are sleep-deprived, our capacity for empathy diminishes. Studies show that after a night without sleep, the brain’s empathy centers become less active. This biological deficiency can lead to moments of guilt and shame, as doctors struggle to reconcile their actions with their deeply held values.

Confessions of a Fatigued Healer

I carried the weight of this experience for years, unsure of how to reconcile my feelings. It wasn’t until I began speaking openly about it that other physicians shared similar stories. One pediatric ER resident recounted how, in a state of extreme exhaustion, she felt indifferent toward a chronically ill child. Another neurosurgeon admitted to hoping for a glioblastoma diagnosis rather than an infection, just to delay surgery. These confessions highlight the pervasive impact of fatigue on medical professionals, revealing a hidden epidemic of moral injury.Sleep deprivation affects not only our ability to empathize but also our cognitive functions, patience, and overall desire to help others. MRI scans show that lack of sleep impairs the brain’s ability to process emotional information. Physicians who are low on sleep are less likely to prescribe pain medication and may even feel anger or frustration. This is not a reflection of character but a physiological response to exhaustion. Recognizing this can help us approach these moments with self-compassion rather than shame.

Restoring the Heart of Medicine

While awareness of this issue is crucial, it alone cannot restore empathy. Only adequate rest can rejuvenate our capacity to be present with patients during their most vulnerable moments. There is no shortcut, no amount of caffeine or special training that can replace the healing power of sleep. Protecting clinicians’ sleep is essential to preserving our humanity and our ability to care.The pervasive sleep loss among doctors is a complex issue, but it must be addressed. We must prioritize sleep as an intrinsic part of our work as healers. By doing so, we can rebuild our empathy and reconnect with the core values of medicine. After all, we are no less human than our patients, and to truly care for them, we must first care for ourselves.