Sleeping Through the Night: Why It Matters and Why You Might Wake Up
Sleeping soundly through the entire night, without waking even once, is surprisingly rare — yet it’s essential for feeling fully rested and productive the next day.
Many people assume that simply going to bed at the right time ensures a good night’s sleep. However, it’s common to wake up between 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., often struggling to fall back asleep. This pattern isn’t random or a matter of bad luck; there’s a deeper significance behind it.
The Mysterious Hours Between 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.
This window of time is sometimes called “the hour of the wolf,” a term popularized by Swedish director Ingmar Bergman’s psychological horror film Hour of the Wolf. Bergman described it as:
“The hour between night and dawn … when most people die, when sleep is deepest, when nightmares are most real. It is the hour when the sleepless are haunted by their worst anguish, when ghosts and demons are most powerful. The hour of the wolf is also the hour when most babies are born.”
According to Professor Birgitta Steene, the term originates from Swedish folklore, where the “hour of the wolf” refers to this eerie, twilight period. Folk tradition also associates it with an increase in both births and deaths. Physiologically, it’s when the body reaches its deepest stage of rest, making it a critical — and vulnerable — part of the sleep cycle.
The Witching Hour and Supernatural Beliefs
In folklore, the “witching hour” or “devil’s hour” is a time believed to be rife with supernatural activity, when witches, demons, and ghosts are at their most powerful. Although distinct from the hour of the wolf, both concepts tap into a deep cultural sense of unease during the darkest hours of the night.
What Happens to the Body During the Hour of the Wolf
For those who sleep uninterrupted, this period marks the deepest and most restorative sleep. For others, particularly those prone to anxiety, it can be a vulnerable time when feelings of distress become heightened.
The body’s circadian rhythm — the internal 24-hour cycle that regulates physiological processes — naturally dips during the night. Around 4:00 a.m., functions like body temperature, blood pressure, and metabolism reach their lowest points as the body enters its most profound rest. If you’re dealing with anxiety or stress, these low physiological markers may intensify feelings of unease, making it more likely that you’ll wake up.
Understanding why these awakenings occur — and why they’re so common — can help you develop strategies for better, uninterrupted sleep.
