Christian Cajochen, Songül Altanay-Ekici, Mirjam Münch, Sylvia Frey, Vera Knoblauch, Anna Wirz-JusticeSee Affiliations Highlights The lunar cycle modulates human sleep and melatonin rhythms Summary
Endogenous rhythms of circalunar periodicity (∼29.5 days) and their underlying molecular and genetic basis have been demonstrated in a number of marine species [1,2]. In contrast, there is a great deal of folklore but no consistent association of moon cycles with human physiology and behavior [3]. Here we show that subjective and objective measures of sleep vary according to lunar phase and thus may reflect circalunar rhythmicity in humans. To exclude confounders such as increased light at night or the potential bias in perception regarding a lunar influence on sleep, we retrospectively analyzed sleep structure, electroencephalographic activity during non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep, and secretion of the hormones melatonin and cortisol found under stringently controlled laboratory conditions in a cross-sectional setting. At no point during and after the study were volunteers or investigators aware of the a posteriori analysis relative to lunar phase. We found that around full moon, electroencephalogram (EEG) delta activity during NREM sleep, an indicator of deep sleep, decreased by 30%, time to fall asleep increased by 5 min, and EEG-assessed total sleep duration was reduced by 20 min. These changes were associated with a decrease in subjective sleep quality and diminished endogenous melatonin levels. This is the first reliable evidence that a lunar rhythm can modulate sleep structure in humans when measured under the highly controlled conditions of a circadian laboratory study protocol without time cues.
HA! mary75 you done good friend!! they should have logged on here and read our scientific evidence as collaboration:)
its a phenomonum I have tracked over half a decade. very real. even today my DH still has full moon issues. extra poop queen duties on top of more active myoclonus activity and loss of sleep!
My dd works in a medical office and "full moon syndrome" is listed with a diagnostic code for billing. Whether there is an insurance company that would pay for it is another matter. I think we can all agree that our Alz spouses are affected in one or several ways by the full moon usually beginning one or two days prior.
My husband died with the full moon in June, 2012. His death, at an ALF, was unexpected.
The overnight before was beyond words, very mild, trees and flowers in bloom, increased ambulance traffic to a nearby hospital and of course, cats fighting.
He was attended by Hospice much of the time. They said many circumstances of his death were atypical.
Based on this topic I looked up the date and found that not only was the moon full, but there was a partial lunar eclipse and also on that day the moon entered Sagittarius, which was his sun sign. I also read about the moon's retrograde with Neptune and while I don't understand it enough to even attempt to explain it, it seems very significant.
That particular moon was also called "blood red".
I accept the power of the moon completely.
Thank you for bringing it up because I never would have thought of it beyond "he died with the full moon" otherwise.