Getting a full night’s sleep without waking up even once is surprisingly rare. But uninterrupted sleep is important if you want to feel rested and productive the next day.
Many people assume that going to bed at the right time is all it takes to sleep well. Yet, they often find themselves waking up between 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. For some, this can be frustrating, especially if it’s hard to fall back asleep.
Waking up at this time isn’t just random or bad luck. There’s actually a reason behind it.
The hours between 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. are sometimes called the “hour of the wolf.” This name comes from a film by Swedish director Ingmar Bergman.
Bergman described this period as the time “between night and dawn… when sleep is deepest, nightmares feel most real, and when people struggling with worry feel it the most.” He also noted that many births and deaths happen during these hours.
Professor Birgitta Steene explained that this term comes from Swedish folklore. According to tradition, the “hour of the wolf” is believed to be a time of major life events, both beginning and ending.
During these hours, the body enters its deepest sleep. This is also the time when body temperature, blood pressure, and metabolism are at their lowest. That’s why the body is so affected during this period.
Some folk traditions also connect this time to supernatural activity. It has been called the “witching hour” or “devil’s hour,” believed to be when spirits and other mysterious forces are strongest.
For people who sleep through the night, this period is simply the deepest part of sleep. But for those who wake up, it can be when feelings of stress or anxiety feel the strongest.
The body’s circadian rhythm—the natural 24-hour cycle—follows the sun’s rise and fall. By around 4:00 a.m., the body is in full rest mode. However, if you experience anxiety, this may be the time when those feelings intensify, causing you to wake up.