Uhtceare: the Companion of Insomniacs

It is 3:00 a.m. No one should be awake at this hour except burglars, and possibly Jimmy Fallon. Why are you awake? Why can’t you get the worrying thoughts about work, family issues, and why Jimmy Fallon is awake at 3:00 a.m. out of your head? Alas, you are experiencing uhtceare.

Yes, uhtceare, (pronounced oot-key-are-a) that wonderful word of the day that can get you some extra points in Scrabble. It is an Old English term that perfectly describes the utterly charming experience of lying awake before dawn, consumed by worry. Yes, it’s a real word and has earned its spot in the dictionary, even though it only shows up once in recorded literature. Just like us during those pre-dawn hours of sleepless nights, this word endures, lurking in waiting for the sun to rise or to be used in a Jeopardy! episode.

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Let’s break it down. Uht (pronounced “oot”) refers to that magical, restless time just before the dawn. Picture it: the Sun is somewhere off-stage and well below the horizon, doing her hair and makeup before her big entrance. Meanwhile, you’re supposed to be blissfully asleep, dreaming of things like figuring out how to fold a fitted sheet or understanding what the big deal is about “Rick Rolling.” Alas, you’re not. You’re wide awake, staring at the ceiling, and congratulations—you’re officially in the throes of uhtceare.

And that brings us to the second part: ceare (pronounced “key-are-a”), which, in Old English, means care, worry, sorrow, or basically every thought that pops into your head and gives you insomnia when you should be asleep. These hours before dawn are prime time for your brain to pull out the greatest hits—your forgotten errands, unpaid bills, embarrassing moments from last night, and perhaps a vivid recollection of that one time in third grade when you called your teacher “mom.”

There’s an old saying that “the darkest hour comes just before the dawn.” However, that’s complete nonsense. If you muster the courage to get out of bed (which I do not recommend), you’ll notice a faint glow on the horizon. But let’s be real: it’s cold, you’ll never get comfortable again, and honestly, the ceiling is more familiar than whatever is lurking outside in the dark.

The next time you find yourself in the uht and your mind is spinning with ceare, just know that you’re not alone. People have been wide awake and worrying for centuries, and now you have the perfect word for it. You can talk about it with Jimmy Fallon when you see him.

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