The lives of everyone in the city were at jeopardy if the watchman slept. He had to stay awake. He also had to expect responses of complacency, anger, and rejection from the sleeping citizens when he blew the trumpet. The very nature of sleep produces that kind of reaction from people. The friend at midnight who came to his neighbor for bread was prepared for this reaction from his friend.
Sleep seems to temporary change ones sense of values .
He knew that only in their conscious and alert state would they realize the importance of a watchman. Not while they were sleeping. He knew he could not take personally their sleepy, groggy remarks of anger and discomfort, their references to his supposed insanity or unsympathetic tenacity. He knew if he could bring them from their unconscious condition they would understand, they would see and hear the enemy . He had to keep blowing the trumpet until responsible spiritual reason ruled the night in place of apathy.