How to Survive the Witching Hour: What to Do When You Wake Up at 3 a.m.
It’s October, and you know what that means – the days are getting shorter, the nights a bit chillier, and every streaming service is tempting you with a lineup of spooky movies. You settle in, watch one more than you probably should, and finally drift off to sleep.
But then, it happens…
You wake up, glance at the clock…
3:00 a.m. on the dot.
Classic.
This is the “Witching Hour” – the time when the world is dark, the house is silent, and every creak seems a little bit louder. The time of night when your mind starts racing, every worry from your day comes back to haunt you, or maybe that horror flick you watched feels a little too real.
And now, you’re just… awake.
But you don’t have to let the Witching Hour claim your sleep.
Here’s the good news – there’s a way to conquer this spooky time and get back to sleep fast.
And it all starts with understanding why this happens and what you can do about it.
The Witching Hour Explained
Back in the day, people believed that 3 a.m. was when the veil between the living and the supernatural was at its thinnest, making it prime time for all sorts of eerie happenings. Witches, spirits, and other mysterious forces were said to be more active, and if you woke up at this hour, some thought you were somehow tuning into that spooky energy.
But here’s the thing: while waking up at this hour can feel eerie, there’s nothing supernatural about it. As a doctor, I can assure you that the only thing haunting you at 3 a.m. is your own overactive brain.
So, let’s put the folklore aside and get into the real reason why you’re waking up at this hour.
Why You Wake Up at 3 a.m.
Waking up at 3 a.m. is actually a pretty common phenomenon.
Here’s what might be going on:
- Stress and Anxiety: When you’re stressed, your body’s cortisol levels spike, and your brain stays on high alert. Even while you’re sleeping, that “fight or flight” instinct doesn’t fully switch off. So when you hit a light sleep phase around 3 a.m., boom – you’re wide awake.
- Blood Sugar Dips: If you had a carb-heavy dinner or indulged in a late-night sugary snack, your blood sugar levels can drop in the middle of the night. Your body responds by releasing adrenaline and cortisol… the exact hormones that wake you up.
- Your Sleep Cycle: The average sleep cycle lasts about 90 minutes, and you experience 4-6 cycles per night. Around the 3 a.m. mark, you’re likely moving from deep sleep into a lighter phase – making you more prone to waking up, especially if your mind is already restless.
- Overstimulation Before Bed: Let’s face it, you probably watched something a bit stimulating before bed – whether it was the news, scrolling through social media, or maybe catching a bit of that horror flick. And that’s no joke – all that blue light exposure and the adrenaline from whatever you were consuming can mess with melatonin production and throw off your sleep rhythm.
So… what can you do when you find yourself staring at the ceiling during the Witching Hour?
How to Fall Back Asleep During the Witching Hour: Practical Steps
Here’s how you beat the Witching Hour and drift back into dreamland:
1. Don’t Panic – It’s Normal
First things first – don’t stress about being awake.
The more you worry about not sleeping, the more adrenaline your body pumps out, and the harder it becomes to fall back asleep.
Remind yourself that it’s just a natural wake-up phase, and you’ll be back to sleep soon.
2. Deep Breathing to Calm Your Nerves
When you’re wide awake, your nervous system is usually in “fight or flight” mode. The key is to switch it over to “rest and digest” with deep breathing exercises.
Try this:
- Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 seconds.
- Hold for 7 seconds.
- Exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds.
This 4-7-8 breathing technique calms your heart rate and signals your brain that it’s time to sleep again.
3. Use Visualization Techniques
When you’re wide awake at 3 a.m., try visualization techniques. Picture yourself in a peaceful setting – maybe a warm beach or a cozy cabin. Engage all your senses: feel the warmth, hear the sounds, and imagine the scents.
This calming imagery distracts your brain from anxious thoughts, giving it a break from whatever woke you up and helping you drift back to sleep. When your mind is focused on that scene, it doesn’t have the bandwidth to worry about that email you forgot to send or the awkward thing you said three years ago.
4. Avoid the Urge to Check Your Phone
Reaching for your phone in the middle of the night might seem harmless, but it’s one of the worst things you can do. The blue light messes with melatonin, tricking your brain into thinking it’s daytime and making it harder to fall back asleep.
Plus, it’s easy to get sucked into endless scrolling – one minute, you’re just checking the time, and the next, you’re deep into an Instagram rabbit hole, and suddenly it’s 4 a.m.
Resist the urge. Keep your phone out of reach, so you’re not tempted. Your sleep will thank you, and you’ll drift back into a restful slumber without the digital distraction.
5. Keep Sleep Remedy by Your Bedside
If you’re waking up frequently during the Witching Hour, your body might need some extra help to relax.
This is where Sleep Remedy comes in.
With natural ingredients like Magnesium, GABA, and L-Tryptophan, Sleep Remedy works with your body to calm your nervous system and ease you back into deep, restorative sleep – even when you’re wide awake at 3 a.m.
Just take a dose if you’re struggling to fall back asleep, and let it work its magic.
Pro Tip: It’s also great as a preventative – take it before bed if you’ve had a stressful day or expect a restless night.
6. Get Up and Do Something Calm (If All Else Fails)
If you’ve tried everything and you’re still wide awake after 20 minutes, get up.
Go to another room and do something calming – read a book (a boring one, if possible), do some light stretching, or listen to a relaxing podcast.
The key is to keep lights dim and avoid any screens.
When you start feeling sleepy, head back to bed.
Breaking the 3 a.m. Spell
The Witching Hour doesn’t have to be the nightmare that ruins your sleep.
With a few calming techniques, a little patience, and a bit of help from Sleep Remedy, you can conquer this spooky time and get the deep, restorative sleep you deserve.
And here’s the thing…
The longer you go without addressing these 3 a.m. wake-ups, the more they become a habit.
So don’t wait.
Tonight, if you find yourself awake and staring at the ceiling again, remember these tips – and keep Sleep Remedy within arm’s reach to help you drift off quickly.
Because life’s too short to be a sleep-deprived zombie!
Sleep Remedy
CAPSULES
Doc Parsley’s Sleep Remedy is a natural sleep aid, formulated with a blend of calming nutrients to help you fall asleep faster and improve your sleep quality. Doctor-developed and recommended, it’s non-habit forming and safe for daily use.