This might be why you wake up between the hours of 3 and 5am

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Getting a full night’s sleep—without waking even once—can feel like a rare gift. Yet, this kind of deep, uninterrupted rest is crucial for waking up energized and mentally sharp.

While many believe that sticking to a good bedtime routine is all it takes to sleep well, there’s a surprisingly common occurrence that disrupts this goal: waking up between 3:00 AM and 5:00 AM. If you’ve found yourself suddenly alert during these early morning hours, you’re not alone—and it may be more than just poor sleep habits.

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The Mysterious “Hour of the Wolf”

The timeframe from 3:00 to 5:00 AM has long carried an eerie reputation. Known as the hour of the wolf, this concept was popularized by Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman in his haunting film by the same name.

In Bergman’s words:

“The hour between night and dawn… when sleep is deepest, nightmares most vivid, and most people die. It’s the time when the sleepless are gripped by fear, when ghosts and demons hold their greatest power. And it’s also when most babies are born.”

Professor Birgitta Steene, an expert on Bergman, explained that the phrase comes from old Swedish folklore, which marks this window of time as a mysterious one—associated with both life and death in equal measure.

It’s a time when the human body is in its deepest state of physical rest—yet paradoxically, it’s also when we may be most emotionally and spiritually unsettled.

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The Witching Hour or a Window Into the Soul?

Across cultures, this part of the night is often connected to the supernatural. The witching hour or devil’s hour—terms commonly used in folk beliefs—align with this same time window. Myths say that during these hours, paranormal forces are strongest, and the boundaries between the physical and spiritual worlds are at their thinnest.

From a biological standpoint, it’s also when our body’s internal processes slow to their lowest point. Body temperature drops, heart rate and blood pressure decrease, and we’re in the most restorative phase of the sleep cycle.

But for those experiencing anxiety, this is often when emotional unrest reaches a high. The body’s calm state can make mental stress feel even more intense, leading to sudden wakefulness, racing thoughts, or a sense of dread.

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Why Do We Wake Up Then?

Whether it’s due to stress, unresolved emotions, or something harder to explain, this early morning awakening isn’t always random. Many sleep specialists believe it’s a signal that something deeper is at play—whether physical, emotional, or even spiritual.

In traditional Chinese medicine, for example, each hour of the night corresponds with a different organ system and emotional state. The hours from 3:00 AM to 5:00 AM are linked with the lungs, which are associated with grief and sadness.

So if you’re waking consistently during this window, your body may be trying to communicate an imbalance or emotional weight you haven’t yet processed.

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A Deeper Look at a Common Experience

Waking up in the quietest part of the night can feel unsettling—but it may carry a message worth paying attention to. Whether it’s rooted in folklore, circadian biology, or emotional health, the hour of the wolf has long been recognized as a time of vulnerability and potential insight.

For some, it’s simply the deepest stage of sleep. For others, it’s a moment of confrontation—with fears, memories, or the quiet voice of the subconscious.

Either way, it’s a reminder that sleep isn’t just a physical reset—it’s deeply connected to our mental, emotional, and even spiritual well-being.