The moon has long been linked to many factors in the physical world. Many people talk about the mystical power of the moon, and are intrigued by the effects that it is supposed to have on the human psyche, human wellness and wellbeing. Now, scientists have actually proved that the moon has an effect on how we sleep.
If you have had a disturbed night’s sleep recently, it could be that the moon is to blame. Researchers at the University of Basel in Switzerland looked at people’s sleep patterns and how these related to the cycles of the moon. They did this by looking again at the results of an experiment that was performed over a decade ago which was originally to do with sleep quality. The original study involved 33 volunteers who were aged between 20 and 74. Their daily sleep patterns were monitored in strictly controlled conditions where they were all kept in complete isolation from natural light. This then shed some light, quite literally, on how the data revealed how the phases of the moon affected sleep patterns.
When researchers looked again at this data, they were able to deduce that the 27 participants who were analysed closest to the full moon suffered from the worst sleep patterns. Their brain activity showed deep, non REM sleep less than 30 percent of the time. This represents less deep sleep, and the kind where participants were likely to wake up feeling less refreshed.
It is thought that this is due to a hormone slide. Levels of the hormone called melatonin which helps to make people feel tired were much lower closer to the full moon – in fact they were less than half the levels of those who were studied during the new moon. The peak of melatonin was also delayed during the full moon, so that people tended to have more trouble falling – and staying – asleep.