The Effect of Moon Phases on Sleep and Energy Levels
People have been captivated by the moon for ages, its pull shaping stories, customs, and even research pursuits. A particularly captivating part of the moon's pull is the supposed impact it has on sleep and energy levels. Plenty think their sleep tanks when there's a full moon, while some get a buzz during certain times of the moon's cycle. But does science back up these thoughts?
We're gonna dive into how moon phases, sleep quality, and energy levels link up peering at both what the science says and what folks have believed for a long while.
Grasping Moon Phases
Before we jump into what it does to us, we gotta get the moon's cycle straight. The lunar cycle is around 29.5 days long, and the moon has eight phases in that time. But when talking about snoozing and vibes, people chat about these four main one:
New Moon – Can't spot it from our blue planet.
First Quarter – Looks like it's lit on one side.
Full Moon – It's all lit up and shiny.
Last Quarter – the other half is glowing this time.
Each stage changes how bright the night is, and that's got a say in how we sleep and our body clocks.
How Moon Cycles Influence Our Sleep
A bunch of folks have trouble snoozing when there's a full moon, but some feel they sleep way better when the moon is new. Science has our back on this hinting at stuff like moonlight, our body's clock, and our brains having a part in the game.
1. Not-So-Great Z's When the Moon is Full
A few pieces of research point to the full moon messing with how good we sleep:
So, there was this study in Current Biology back in 2013 and here's the scoop: when the moon was all big and bright,
Folks took an extra 5 minutes to doze off.
They got about 20 minutes less shut-eye overall.
The levels of their sleep juice melatonin, went down.
Jump to 2021, and another piece of research says during the full moon, people didn't sleep as and kept waking up more.
Why's that? Well check it - way back before we had light bulbs and stuff, moonbeams were pretty much what we had to see at night. Our old-school relatives had to be on their toes more when it was super bright outside at night with a full moon. It's like we've got some of that vibe stuck in us 'cause some folks today still get that same kind of restless sleep when the moon is large and in charge.
2. Enhanced Rest with the New Moon
A new moon often leads to better rest and deeper slumber. Darker skies at night might encourage the body to make more melatonin, which helps you sleep longer and feel more rejuvenated. Loads of folks feel more awake and full of zip after waking up during this lunar phase.
3. More Intense Dreams When the Moon Is Full
There's chatter about dreams getting clear when the moon's all big and round. Science doesn’t have much to say yet, but **not sleeping as ** could be the reason folks recall their dreams with ease.
How the Moon Messes with Your Get-Up-And-Go
The moon's phases might have sway over how peppy you feel, your moods, and if you're up for doing things. Lots of traditions think that the moon's different stages mess with our feelings and how much we get done.
1. Full Moon: Buzzing with Energy, Can't Sit Still Feeling Edgy
When it's a full moon, folks often say it's about:
Having more get-up-and-go
Feeling fidgety and like you can't chill
Getting all worked up or jittery
Some folk who dig into this stuff reckon it's 'cause of old-times reasons. Back in the day, a bright moon might've meant people were out and about at night hunting or collecting stuff, and that made them extra sharp.
Some folks seem to get a real buzz but also tend to react more on the emotional side when the moon's all big and bright. Makes sense then why a bunch might have a tough time sleeping feeling all restless, or their emotions going up and down like a seesaw.
2. New Moon: Feeling a Bit Down, Time to Think, and Chill Out
When there's that new moon hanging around:
You might not have as much get-up-and-go
It's prime time for some serious noodle-baking
There's often a kinda quiet vibe or you might just wanna laze about
Back in the old days without much light come nighttime, our old-timey ancestors likely took it easy chilling out more and keeping their energy on the low. Even now, plenty of us find ourselves keeping to ourselves and not doing too much when a new moon rolls in.
3. Waxing Moon (It's the Time Between a New Moon and a Full Moon): Energy's on the Rise</original_ai_text>
As the moon begins to shine brighter, a bunch of folks think their pep picks up bit by bit. This time seems pretty awesome for stuff like:
Kicking off new stuff
Amping up your job or workout game
Getting more amped and knocking out work
4. Waning Moon (Between Full Moon and New Moon): Less Zip
When the moon's brightness is taking a hit, lots of peeps find their zip zapping away . , it's ace for things like:
Chillin' out
Dropping the tension
Paying attention to pampering yourself
Scientific Theories: The Moon's Effect on Our Vibe
Science has yet to uncover how the moon affects human biology, but there are theories that suggest it has an influence on our sleep and our get-up-and-go.
1. The Light's Job in Getting Us to Sleep
Our snooze and wake-up pattern also called the circadian rhythm, reacts to light.
The beaming light from a full moon might mess with melatonin production causing us to sleep less .
2. The Moon's Pull on Our Body Waters
The moon's pull has an influence on the ocean's tides, and this makes some think it might also affect the human body, given we're made up of 60% water. Though there isn't solid science to back it up, a few people reckon it could sway stuff like how our fluids are distributed how peppy we feel, and our overall vibes.
3. Evolutionary Adaptation
Back in the day, our forebears synced their lives with the natural rhythm of daylight. They might've gotten the knack to stay sharp when the night was lit up and to chill out when it got dark. It's possible we've still got a bit of that ancient wiring in us today.
How to Get Your Sleep and Energy Just Right with the Moon's Cycles
Even if the moon has an influence on sleep and vigor, you have the power to keep things steady all month.
1. When it's a Full Moon: Make Your Sleep Better
Put up blackout drapes to stop too much light.
Stay away from gadgets before you hit the sack to cut down on light.
Try calming stuff (like slow breaths meditation) to help with the fidgets.
2. At the Time of the New Moon: Get Some Quality Z's
Make sure to sleep real good by heading to bed a bit .
Do things that feel good maybe yoga or writing down your thoughts.
Think about how you've grown and decide on fresh goals.
3. When the Moon's Getting Bigger: Use Your Pep
Kick off new tasks and aim to pump up your output.
Pump up your exercise game, 'cause you might have more juice in the tank.
Now's the time to set some wicked goals and grow .
4. While the Moon's Getting Smaller: Chill and Mull Stuff Over
Carve out moments to just chill and think deep thoughts.
Dial down the stress with chill things, like easy stretches or casual strolls.
Clean out the cobwebs in your brain and your space by ditching the bad vibes.
Final Wrap-up: Is the Moon Messing With Your Zzz's and Pep?
Okay so get this even though science is still on it, there's this talk about how the moon's changing shapes might mess with how well we sleep and how much pep we got. It could be the light thingy, our body clocks, or stuff left over from way back when, but folks feel different when the moon does its thing.
If you get what's going down with these vibes, you could tweak some stuff in your day-to-day, like stepping up your bedtime game keeping your energy in check, and lining up your to-dos with the moon's schedule. Even if you're not sold on the whole moon power deal just paying attention to your z’s and your zip could up your health game. 🌙
