Sleeping through the night without a single interruption might seem like a rare achievement, but it’s actually crucial for ensuring full productivity and a refreshed mind the next day. Many people believe that simply going to bed at the right time will guarantee quality sleep, only to find themselves waking up between 3:00am and 5:00am. Often, falling back asleep proves difficult, leading to tiredness and frustration the following morning.

Interestingly, waking during these early hours isn’t purely random or the result of bad luck. There’s a deeper significance to this widespread pattern, tied to both folklore and human physiology.

The timeframe between 3:00am and 5:00am is sometimes called “the hour of the wolf,” a term popularized by Swedish director Ingmar Bergman in his psychological horror film of the same name. As Bergman described it, this is “the hour between night and dawn… when most people die, sleep is deepest, 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 has roots in Swedish folklore, where this particular window of time holds heavy symbolic meaning. It’s believed to be associated with an increased occurrence of both deaths and births, a mysterious crossroads of endings and beginnings.

Physiologically, this period marks when the body is at its deepest point of rest. Circadian rhythms—the internal biological clock that mirrors the sun’s patterns—control body temperature, blood pressure, and metabolism, all of which drop significantly during the night. By around 4:00am, these functions hit their lowest point. This is a time when the body’s defenses are at their most relaxed, which, in certain vulnerable individuals, can lead to disturbances.

Folk traditions add an extra layer of eeriness by linking this time to the “witching hour” or “devil’s hour,” a nocturnal period believed to be prime for supernatural activity. Witches, demons, and spirits, it is said, are at their most powerful during these hours.

For those who sleep soundly, the hour of the wolf passes quietly, a time of deep, restorative slumber. However, for those prone to anxiety or internal unrest, this window can be treacherous. Anxiety levels can spike sharply, often leading to sudden awakenings. With the body at its physiological low point, mental defenses can falter, making worries and fears feel more intense and harder to ignore.

Understanding the natural rhythms of the body—and the historical and cultural lore surrounding the hour of the wolf—can offer insight into why waking between 3:00am and 5:00am feels so unsettling. It isn’t just random chance; it’s a moment deeply ingrained in both biology and human imagination.