The Moon has been a source of artistic inspiration and a cult object since the dawn of time. A 5,000-year-old prehistoric tomb discovered in Ireland preserves what is so far the first map of our satellite that we have news of.
The Greek philosopher Anaxagoras, 45 centuries later, gave one of the first scientific explanations about the nature of the Moon . Thus, he affirmed that it was not a deity, but a large spherical rock that reflected the light of the Sun, which also had nothing divine. His teachings were considered heretical and Anaxagoras was imprisoned.
In 1610, Galileo Galilei collected in his work Sidereus Nuncius a description of the Moon made after observing it with his telescope. In it he stated that our satellite contained mountains and craters. Despite the increasing number of scientific observations, the Moon has continued to generate myths. One of the most widespread – and absolutely false – is that when it is full it favors the appearance of sleepwalking episodes, a sleep disorder that affects 1 in 10 people
The natural satellite of the Earth has always fascinated human minds. Over the centuries, humans have worshiped the moon, studied it, and referred to it to predict the direction of their lives … and their health.
Since the moon influences such mechanisms of life on Earth, people have also believed that it can affect various aspects of physical and mental health. But is this true and to what extent?
The moon and menstrual cycles
Some people still refer to menstrual cycles as “lunar cycles,” and many remain convinced that there is a form of synchrony between the phases of the moon and female menstruation.
A myriad of web pages and smartphone applications claim to help us track the lunar cycle or achieve complete synchronization between menstruations and the phases of the moon. Some even advise readers on how to maximize your chances of getting pregnant with the moon phases in mind. But is it true that the phase of the moon can influence fertility? This question is far from being resolved.
The notion that the menstrual cycle and the phases of the moon are linked in some way derives from the concept that, on average, a menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, which is about the same time as a lunar cycle. The moon takes 27 days, 7 hours and 43 minutes to complete its orbit around the Earth, and 29.5 days for a lunar phase cycle.
In the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s , several small-scale studies suggested that women’s ovulation periods and phases coincided with the “light” phase (in the full moon phase) and the “dark” phase (in the leading to the new moon) of the lunar cycle, respectively.
In 2005, a study working with a small cohort from Nepal indicated that women whose ovulation phase coincided with the full moon and who became pregnant during this phase were more likely to give birth to male babies. Those who conceived before the full moon were more likely to give birth to girls.
However, it is unlikely that most periods will “synchronize” with particular moon phases, except by coincidence. Menstrual cycles can last between 21 and 35 days, and their length can also change with age and due to hormonal factors.
A more recent one-year retrospective study of 74 women of reproductive age contradicted the idea that the moon had something to do with menstrual cycles. The study found no correlation between menstruation, fertility, and the phases of the moon.
Moon and dream
Popular belief says that the full moon disrupts sleep, making people more prone to insomnia. Again, the evidence is not abundant and is based mainly on small-scale studies, but it seems to suggest that the full moon can affect the quality of an individual’s sleep.
A study published in Sleep Medicine in 2014 evaluated the sleep quality of 319 participants during different phases of the moon. This study found that during the full moon, participants had lower sleep efficiency. This means that they stayed awake or in a light sleep state for most of the time they spent in bed at night.
Another 2013 study published in the journal Cell suggested that immediately before and after a full moon, it took participants about 5 minutes longer, on average, to fall asleep, and their sleep duration decreased by about 20 minutes.
His sleep was also lighter than usual, and melatonin levels also fell near the full moon, the researchers note. The researchers were unable to explain these changes by exposure to bright moonlight as the participants slept in completely dark, controlled environments.
The moon and mental health
Another widely held notion says that the moon influences mood and psychiatric health, and that the full moon, in particular, can make people more aggressive. In folklore, the full moon triggers the werewolf metamorphosis from human to wolf, a mythical creature that reflects our continuing fascination with the “bestial” potential of humans.
A 1984 studysuggested that the crime rate would likely increase on nights with a full moon. Its authors said this could be due to “‘human tidal waves’ caused by the gravitational pull of the moon.”
More recent research, publishedin 2009on The Medical Journal of Australia, suggested that psychiatric facilities admitted more people during a full moon than usual. This small study, which analyzed the records of 91 patients “with violent and acute behavioral disorders,” found that 23% of these admissions took place during the full moon.
This “was about twice the number of other lunar phases,” the researchers write in their study paper.
However, other research has contradicted the notion that the full moon makes people more likely to hurt themselves and others.A study published in the journalPsychiatry in 1998found “no significant relationship” between any phase of the moon and an increase in violent behavior.
And, in 2019, iResearchers from Switzerland and the United States analyzed data on 17,966 people treated in 15 different psychiatric wards over 10 years.This study also found no evidence of increased aggression during the full moon phase.
