That\u2019s where Julie McFadden<\/a> comes in. McFadden has been working as a hospice nurse<\/a> for nine years. She has been educating people about the dying<\/a> process on social media for almost as long, racking up millions <\/a>of views with her gentle, reassuring, and highly informative FAQs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a recent video, Hospice Nurse Julie tackles a big, scary question: What time do people usually die? And can we actually predict someone\u2019s time of death?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen is the most common time to die? I think you might be surprised what research says,\u201d she begins the video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n McFadden says even she was surprised when she started digging into the data and research. She noted that in her own work, she hadn\u2019t really seen a trend, but after poring through studies and speaking with colleagues across the hospice industry, she was taken aback to discover a clear answer to her question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cResearch and anecdotal evidence\u2026 it does show that most people die between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.,\u201d she says. She explains that some professionals refer to this window as the \u201cletting go hour.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other studies and experts have a slightly different take, citing the most common time as 6 a.m.\u20148 a.m.<\/a>, or even peaking at 11 a.m. But the truth remains that there is a definitive pattern of a high percentage of people passing away in the wee hours of the morning or middle of the night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo, why does that happen? That\u2019s where my brain went. And to me, the reason why is the most fascinating part,\u201d she explains.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There are a few different factors, McFadden says, that explain such a narrow death window. The first relates to the normal cycle of our body\u2019s energy and alertness. \u201cBiologically, we have a circadian rhythm\u2026 And between the hours of two and five, that is when our body\u2019s energy level is the lowest. Our temperatures drop, our blood pressure drops, and our breathing slows.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She mentions that those late-night\/early-morning hours are also typically very quiet, with little interruption or stimulation that might unwittingly keep a patient engaged with the outside world. \u201cThere\u2019s less people kind of trying to hold you there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The dying person\u2019s personality also plays a role. McFadden says she sees over and over that some patients will wait until the entire family arrives before they \u201clet go,\u201d while others will wait until things are quiet and they\u2019re alone. More outgoing people may wait to be surrounded before they pass, while introverts may prefer to pass in solitude<\/a>. For the folks who prefer peace and quiet, those nighttime hours make a lot of sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"death,](\"https:\/\/www.upworthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/origin_56b349.jpg\")
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