Does the moon really affect our mood or is it just a myth? Study reveals lunar phases can play a role in how we sleep Researchers studied children to see if their sleeping patterns changed They particularly looked at whether behaviour changed over lunar phases Volunteers slept, on average, five minutes less around a full moon But this isn't significant enough to impact on a person's behaviour While the full moon can't turn people into werewolves (illustrated), some people accuse it of causing a bad night's sleep. But is there science behind this myth? Always surrounded by an aura of mystery, the moon and its possible influence over human behaviour has been object of ancestral fascination and mythical speculation for centuries. While the full moon can't turn people into werewolves, some people do accuse it of causing a bad night's sleep or creating physical and mental alterations. But is there any science behind these myths? To establish if lunar phases affect humans, an international group of researchers studied children to see if their sleeping patterns changed or if there were any differences in their daily activities. The research studied a total of 5,812 children from five continents. The children came from a wide range of economic and sociocultural levels, and variables such as age, sex, highest parental education, day of measurement, body mass index score, nocturnal sleep duration, level of physical activity and total sedentary time were considered. Data collection took place over 28 months, which is equivalent to the same number of lunar cycles. These were then subdivided into three lunar phases: full moon, half-moon and new moon. The findings obtained in the study revealed that in general, nocturnal sleep duration around full moon compared to new moon reported an average decrease of five minutes (or a one per cent variant). No other activity behaviours were substantially modified. 'Our study provides compelling evidence that the moon does not seem to influence people's behaviour,' said Dr Jean-Philippe Chaput, from the Eastern Ontario Research Institute. A study attempting to solve this mystery found that in general, people slept five minutes less, on average, during a full moon compared to a new moon. However, the clinical implication of sleeping five minutes less during full moon was said to not represent a considerable threat to health 'WEREWOLF' BIRDS HUNT USING LUNAR TIDES Myth and folklore feature tales of werewolves being affected by phases of the moon, and it appears this behaviour isn't as far-fetched as it may seem. Coastal wading birds shape their lives around the tides and new research shows different species follow prey cycles tied to our lunar satellite. Experts now plan to study how their prey responds to such tidal forces to learn more about this behaviour. The only significant finding was the 1 per cent sleep alteration in full moon, and this is largely explained by our large sample size that maximises statistical power,' The clinical implication of sleeping five minutes less during full moon does not represent a considerable threat to health. 'Overall, I think we should not be worried about the full moon' Dr Chaput added. 'Our behaviours are largely influenced by many other factors like genes, education, income and psychosocial aspects rather than by gravitational forces,' he added. While the results of this study are conclusive, controversy over the moon could result in further research to determine if our biology is in some way synchronized with the lunar cycle or if the full moon has a larger influence in people suffering mental disorders or physical ailments. 'Folklore and even certain instances of occupational lore suggest that mental health issues or behaviors of humans and animals are affected by lunar phases,' Dr Chaput explained. 'Whether there is science behind the myth or not, the moon mystery will continue to fascinate civilisations in the years to come,' he said. Source
