Is the Influence of Full Moons Overhyped?
Do full moons change our behavior? It’s an idea with a long history. But what does the research show?
The theory that abundant moonlight makes people act strangely goes all the way back to Aristotle. Shakespeare wrote that the full moon “makes men mad.” And William Blackstone, the famous legal theorist, believed that the moon’s phases affected people’s ability to reason.
Today, it’s commonly believed that a full moon increases everything from childbirth to crime to fights at hockey games.
However, research has shown no evidence that any of those things are true.
But just because most theories of moon madness turn out to be urban legends doesn’t mean there’s no effect whatsoever.
Research has shown that full moons tend to lead people to sleep about 20 minutes less and reduce the time they spend in deep sleep by about 30%.
And those changes to sleep patterns actually do have one unusual effect on mental health. For people suffering from bipolar disorder, the moon’s influence on their sleep can cause a rapid switch from depression to mania.
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