More Tired Than Usual? This Is How A Full Moon Can Affect Your Sleep

The full moon is a powerful force within spiritual circles: a time when energy bubbles to the surface to be re-examined and released. All this intensity swirling around is great for our personal development and goal setting. But alas, it may get in the way of a good night's sleep.

A three-year study conducted by scientists at Switzerland’s University of Basel1 and published in the journal Current Biology investigated the connection between sleep and the lunar cycle. They found that people took on average five minutes longer to fall asleep as the full moon approached, spent 30 percent less time in deep sleep, had lower melatonin levels, and had on average 20 minutes less sleep on full-moon nights.

The participants had no way of knowing what time of day it was, as they were not able to see the moon and had controlled exposure to light. Additionally, the data was collected initially for a general sleep study rather than one about lunar cycles, which further lowered possible biases during the time of the study.

While more research is needed to strengthen these findings and uncover why this phenomenon occurs, some research suggests that the link between our sleep and the lunar cycle has to do with our circadian clocks.

Not enough sleep over time can lead to issues like anxiety, brain fog, more weight gain, and a higher risk for diabetes and heart disease. If you know your rest could be affected by a full moon, it's best to be prepared so you can still get your zzz's. Here are some expert-approved tips:

The first step in preparing for a full moon is knowing when to expect one. Look up the moon phases for your area and put the full moons on your calendar so you know when to expect changes. 

As research shows, the days leading up to a full moon can be just as unsettling on our sleep schedules as the actual day of the full moon. Get on a consistent sleep schedule and head to bed three hours after sunset, recommends holistic psychiatrist Ellen Vora, M.D., as this is when our bodies naturally get tired (around 10 p.m.). 

One of the easiest things you can do to help prepare for restful sleep is to make your environment conducive to quality sleep. Dr. Vora recommends keeping your phone out of your room as the blue light can disrupt the circadian rhythm, staying away from refined sugars as we can experience a stress response midnight from a sugar crash, and skipping caffeine as it can be difficult to fall asleep especially if you're prone to anxiety. 

Too often we try to go to sleep right after reading emails or spending time on our phone. It's difficult for our body to make this transition quickly and can result in difficulty falling asleep. "Give yourself the gift of an hour, a half-hour, 10 minutes, even just five minutes—some amount of winding down before you hit the pillow," said Dr. Vora. This looks different for everyone but could be taking a warm bath, reading your favorite book, or listening to calming music. These are subtle cues to your body that you're ready to doze off. 

The full moon can be an exciting time—that is, if you're not left sleep-deprived. We hope these suggestions help you wind down so you can take the best from the full moon experience and leave the rest.