Does the full moon affect our sleep?

Lifestyle
Eléonore de Maurissens
Reading time: 3 minutes
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Do you sleep less well during a full moon? Difficulty falling asleep, not getting a restful night's sleep, waking up tired… That’s no myth, according to science! There are several causes, but there are also solutions to sleeping better again.


For as long as anyone can remember, there have been many stories about the full moon, from werewolves to hair growth. Many of these folk tales are unsubstantiated, but it has been proven that sleep is indeed disturbed in the 3 to 5 days before the full moon.1

 

The effects of the moon on sleep

The full moon can cause poor nights, and in several ways.2,3

  • Difficulty falling asleep: during this lunar phase, it takes about 5 minutes longer to fall asleep.
  • A disturbed sleep cycle and poor sleep quality: it would take longer to enter your REM sleep (dream phase), and researchers have found that 'deep sleep' (restorative sleep) lasts about 30% less long.
  • Total sleep duration: the total sleep duration during a full moon is also said to be shorter, 20 to 25 minutes shorter according to several studies.

The full moon disturbs our sleep, wherever you live4

Full moon and disturbed rest: what are the causes?

Although we do not yet fully understand exactly what influence the moon has on our rest, several factors likely play a role4:

  • The brightness of the moon: our internal clock works on a 24-hour cycle and is adjusted daily thanks to the brightness of the moon (day-night cycle). The variation in light levels caused by the full moon is therefore one of the biggest reasons for disturbed sleep.
  • Electromagnetism: the moon can influence the Earth's electromagnetic spectrum, especially during a full moon. Humans can be sensitive to these slight electromagnetic fluctuations. Other geomagnetic conditions (such as geomagnetic storms and northern/southern lights) also have various effects on our health.

 

Sleeping well during a full moon

Paying attention to good sleep hygiene remains one of the simplest things you can do for a restful night: do not drink caffeine before bedtime, put away screens and, above all, ensure you get enough hours of sleep (and why not adopt a regular sleep routine?). You can also get extra support from dietary supplements based on melatonin to help you fall asleep more easily and stay asleep longer.

 

Do you sleep poorly during a full moon? What are your tips and tricks for a good night's sleep? Talk about it on our Facebook and Instagram!

Scientific references

  1. Casiraghi L. et al., Moonstruck sleep: Synchronization of human sleep with the moon cycle under field conditions. Sci. Adv.7,eabe0465(2021).DOI:10.1126/sciadv.abe0465
  2. Cajochen, C., et al., Evidence that the lunar cycle influences human sleep. Current Biology 2013, 23(15), 1485–1488. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23891110/
  3. Smith, M., et al., Human sleep and cortical reactivity are influenced by lunar phase. Current Biology 2014, 24(12), R551–R552. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24937276/
  4. Summer J., Do Moon Phases Affect Your Sleep? Sleep Foundation, 2023. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/do-moon-phases-affect-sleep

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