The wolf hour - sleepless between 2 and 4 a.m.

Many people wake up during the famous wolf hour between 2 and 4 a.m. and can't get back to sleep. Here we explain what exactly is behind the wolf hour and why sleep is often interrupted during this time.

Table of contents

1. What is the Wolf Hour?
2. Why at 3 a.m.?
3. Tips for falling asleep again
4. Conclusion

1. What is the Wolf Hour?

The wolf hour is a widespread phenomenon and describes the period between 2, 3, and 4 a.m. when many people occasionally or regularly wake up and have difficulty falling back asleep. The term "wolf hour" or "hour of the wolf" probably originates from earlier times when hardly any people were awake and out at this time of day, but primarily the nocturnal wolves.

It's actually quite normal for us to wake up from sleep more often during the night. However, many of us also know from experience that it's significantly harder to fall back asleep, especially if we wake up between 2 and 4 a.m. We quickly start to ruminate, think a lot, and never really feel sleepy. But why does this happen?

2. Why at 3 a.m.?

The fact that we often wake up between 3 and 4 a.m. is actually no coincidence and is strongly linked to our hormonal balance and sleep structure.

Every night we go through several sleep cycles, which consist more of deep sleep phases at the beginning of the night and contain more dream sleep (REM sleep) at the end of the night. Here Learn more about sleep structure. Between 2 and 4 a.m., the first half of sleep is usually over, and sleep becomes increasingly lighter—we wake up more easily and more often.

The interaction of the hormones melatonin, serotonin and cortisol is also crucial. The "Sleep hormone melatonin ensures that we get tired and can sleep in the evening and at night. Serotonin is called the happiness hormone, which has a positive effect on mood and Stress hormone cortisol has an important anti-stress effect.

In the middle of the night, at the time of the wolf hour, our Body temperature At its lowest and melatonin levels very high, we feel tired and sleepy. At the same time, serotonin and cortisol are at their lowest levels. Their mood-enhancing and stress-regulating effects are thus lost, and our hormonal balance is disrupted, causing us to wake up more easily and often in a depressed or bad mood. We are more susceptible to negative feelings, quickly become overly ruminating, and start a mind-bending cycle, making it even more difficult to fall asleep again.

3. Tips for falling asleep

It's best not to try to solve problems at night—when we wake up in the night, we're more sensitive to negative, pessimistic, or worrying feelings. This can keep us awake and prevent us from falling asleep. Here are a few tips for what you can do if you wake up and can't fall back asleep right away.

#1 Don’t look at the clock

When we glance at the clock, we often automatically start calculating how much sleep we've had or how long we've been awake for. This often creates pressure or panic that we're not getting enough sleep and need to fall asleep quickly.

#2 Don't put pressure on yourself

Don't put pressure on yourself if you can't fall asleep right away.The feeling of needing to go back to sleep quickly can fuel negative thoughts and stress, making you less relaxed and, in fact, preventing you from sleeping even further.

#3 Write down your thoughts

If you wake up and your head is full of worries, thoughts, or ideas, it can help to talk them out and write them down to clear your mind and help you calm down. Depending on how you feel, you can simply write everything down in a notebook, create a to-do list for the next day, or even keep a journal in the evening as a preventative measure.

#4 Staying in bed & distracting

Reading a book, podcasts or relaxing music Listening to music is a simple but effective way to distract yourself from negative thoughts and help you regain sleepiness. Audio plays or music can also calm and accompany you as you fall asleep.

#5 Get up and distract yourself

If you've been lying awake for a while and are struggling to fall asleep, it's recommended that you simply get up and do something as quiet as possible until your tiredness returns and you can sleep again. Make sure to keep the lights dimmed and pay particular attention to blue screen light, such as that of your laptop. Smartphones. For example, you can stretch your legs for a bit, go to the bathroom, or sit on the sofa and read. When you get tired again, go back to bed and go back to sleep.

4. Conclusion:

• The wolf hour is the period between 2 and 3 or 3 and 4 a.m. when you often wake up and cannot fall asleep again.

• A low body temperature, the sleep structure and the natural hormonal balance between melatonin, serotonin and cortisol leads to light sleep and increases the likelihood of waking up.

• Relaxing activities, jotting down thoughts, or getting up can help bridge the waking phase and help you fall asleep more easily.

Best wishes and see you soon!