There is a great variety of legends about why many people wake up at 3 or 4 in the morning almost every night. The hour of the devil, of the witches, of the fairies… Of course, there are all kinds of imaginary beings whose perfect moment to visit us in dreams is precisely that. What a coincidence! But the reality is that the explanation for these wake ups at 3 in the morning It is much simpler. Or, at least, more earthly.
And, in reality, those wake-ups at 3 in the morning seem to be related to the so stressed lifestyle that we have today. It is something that has been studied for years. In fact, in 2021 He already talked about it in an article for The Conversation the Director of the Mental Health Center at Swinburne University of Technology (Australia), Greg Murray.
According to this scientist, waking up at 3 in the morning is normal. Also at 4. Approximately at that time, there is usually a sleep phase change in which this is lighter. This leads us to wake up momentarily, but usually without realizing it. When we do, it is because our brain is very active due to some concern. That’s where the pace of life of this society in which we live comes into play.
Sleeping straight is a myth
When we say that we have slept straight through, we usually have not done so. Sleep has three non-REM phases and one REM. In the first, of numbness, we can perceive external stimuli, but we have already begun to reduce muscle tone and perceive the first signs of sleep. Then comes the phase of light sleep. In this phase, respiratory and heart rate begin to decrease and wakefulness is left behind. However, if we wake up in this phase, we will not remember having slept.
Finally, the last phase of non-REM sleep is deep sleepin which the physical and mental repair that occurs during sleep begins to take place.
Already in the REM phase, an effect opposite to the others occurs. Although the sleep is deep, the brain is very active. Of course, the motor neurons are blocked, so we cannot move. It is the phase in which we dream and in which a good part of the memories are fixed.
When the REM phase ends, a micro awakening and then you go back to non-REM. An adult without sleeping problems usually goes through 5 or 6 complete cycles in one night. But for that it is important that these micro-awakenings are unconscious. If our brain is active due to anxiety or daily worries, they can become the famous 3 in the morning wake-ups.
3 a.m. awakenings are not paranormal
No, 3 a.m. wake-ups are not paranormal. They are very normal, in fact.
It happens a lot to people with anxietybut in general to anyone who is worried about having left tasks pending. According to expertsthe certainty of these unfinished tasks increases the level of brain activation, so that, during the night, it is more difficult for the sleep phases to occur normally.
Therefore, it is usually recommended, before going to sleep, write those tasks for the next day. In this way, the brain in a certain way rests, because we know that we are not going to forget them. On the other hand, writing, as we saw in the article on New Year’s resolutions, gives us a feeling of control of the situation which also helps relax our brain.
Furthermore, if we stay active during the day, exercise and avoid heavy meals, especially at night, we will contribute to a more restful sleep, with less nocturnal awakenings.
Why at 3 in the morning?
We have already seen that it is normal to wake up in the middle of the night, especially if we are stressed. But what specifically are they due to? wake ups at 3 in the morning?
Well, two factors come into play here. On the one hand, the probability. If every night we go to bed around 11:00 p.m. and get up the next day around 7:00 a.m., it is normal for us to wake up around 3 a.m. in the morning. But they may also be at another time.
What happens is that there are so many myths about the demonic of this hour that we have ended up reaching what is known as self-fulfilling prophecy. We don’t look at the rest of the hours at which we wake up, but rather we focus on that one. Unconsciously, this may even keep us more active and lead us to continue waking up.
It is not dangerous, far from it, but it is advisable to do changes in sleep hygiene to minimize these wake-ups at 3 in the morning or at any time. If with physical activity, a balanced meal and a reduction in the use of screens in the last hours of the day we continue to wake up, perhaps we should consult a doctor who can give us guidelines to sleep better. But never to an exorcist. Everything else is myths.